


Training Days

by PriinceMarth



Category: Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword, Fire Emblem: Shin Ankoku Ryuu to Hikari no Ken | Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, Fire Emblem: Shin Monshou no Nazo | Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem
Genre: For funsies, M/M, mashes shadow dragon and blazing sword characters together, talk about a crackship, they're so smol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-04-22 05:25:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14301750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PriinceMarth/pseuds/PriinceMarth
Summary: Matthew moves from the humble village of Caelin to the busy Ostian castle to undergo knight training. What he finds there isn't what he expected, for better or for worse... Story Complete!





	1. Chapter 1

(A/N: This fic was written as a roleplay between myself and a friend and is such separated into our respective character parts.)

 

**Chapter 1**

To say that he was a bit overwhelmed was... an understatement.

Ostia was so large compared to Caelin, and that wasn't exactly a small town. He had been excited to leave his home in order to pursue a dream, to become a royal guard in the capital of Lycia; but now, alone in a big capital, he couldn't help but second guess himself. It was the first day of both knight training  _ and  _ school. Keeping to himself, he silently walked the halls of the school until he came across the front section of the school that had every student's cubby hole that they could use to store their belongings. With a small sigh, Matthew lifted the bag off his shoulder to put it into the storage, before he felt the folder of papers he was holding slip out of his hands. "Ah...!" He let out a short cry as papers spilled onto the ground, and he dropped to his knees to gather them all up. One paper in particular, had floated away out of his sight without him noticing...

Bright eyed and round-faced Cain was more than excited for his first day of knight training. He'd been in the previous courses in Ostia, but that was all baby stuff-- now he was able to learn some  _ real  _ moves. He marched eagerly towards his cubby hole, where a couple textbooks awaited him, and his expression fell. Oh, yeah... there was school too. He wasn't looking forward to that part so much. At least, he reminded himself, it was only for part of the day, and his section got it over with in the morning. With a roll of his eyes, he grabbed the textbook and shoved it in his pack, then started the walk to find his classroom. As he did, he heard the familiar sound of paper shuffling, and when he looked to the side, he saw the source; a smaller kid than he--though that wasn't hard-- had dropped what looked like an entire notebook of papers. Cain couldn't help but feel a bit bad, so he stopped to help, and snagged the stray paper that was drifting away. "Need a hand?" He knelt down to scoop up a stack of papers, and then offered a charming smile as he handed them to the other student.

Matthew knew he looked out of place in the school; not many kids came from out of the castletown to enroll in this school. They usually became guards for the marquesses in their own countries. Yet, the teen was different; he didn't want to be  _ any  _ knight. He wanted to be a knight for the  _ capital _ . He was scrawny and didn't come from the most able-bodied parents around. When he came to Ostia, he had hid in the corner, people easily looking over him as if he weren't there at all. And that's how he liked it. However, he was quite glad when someone  _ did  _ stop to help him, although it surprised him to even be offered. "Hm...?" Matthew glanced up only to be met with a rounder-faced redhead that looked his age. For a moment he only stared at the stranger, seemingly in a daze before he blinked a few times. "Oh, yeah. Thanks," he offered a small smile in return before quickly glancing down at the papers before him, scooping up his share as well.

Cain stood up after the student took his papers back. "No problem," he replied in a friendly voice, then waved goodbye as he continued on his way towards his classroom.

He found it fairly easily, so he was a few minutes early, which was perfectly fine with him; it gave him time to scout out his classmates, and he was incredibly happy with what he saw. "Yes! Abel! Three years in a row!" He high-fived his friend; looks like they'd be classmates yet again. Gordin was there too, but another face was missing. "Aw, no Draug?"

"He got put in the afternoon class with Norne," Gordin explained, already sitting at a desk near the front. He stuck out his tongue cheekily and winked. "I'm sure he's not complaining!"

Cain laughed as he sat at a desk next to his friends. Well, hopefully the lecture this year wouldn't be too bad... as long as he could manage to stay awake, that is.

Matthew waved goodbye to the friendly redhead, watching him go off to his own classroom. Well... that was one way to start the school year. Class hadn't even started yet and he already made a fool of himself... Class... Class. He'd be late to class! Putting his stuff in his hole more quickly now, he held his notebook close to his chest as he hurried to his classroom, desperately looking up at the numbers next to the doors to find the right one...

Once he finally found it, he looked inside at all the unfamiliar faces in the room... Taking a deep breath, he stepped in only to realize there was one familiar face. The boy who had helped him out earlier! Matthew wanted to say hello, to properly thank him for helping, but he seemed to be surrounded by a group of his own friends, so the teen decided against it. Moving to the back of the class, he found a seat next to a stout blue-haired boy. Said boy raised an eyebrow as Matthew sat next to him, and he prayed to the Gods the other wouldn't say anything.

The boy, usually preferring not to be too friendly towards strangers, knew Matthew looked frightened by his surroundings, as he once did; he had moved to Ostia from a small village as well, albeit a longer while ago. "Hey," he said, catching Matthew's attention. "You new here?"

The teen glanced over at his neighbor, before slowly nodding his head. "Yeah. I came here from Caelin."

"Caelin? That's not too small, this place shouldn't feel that out of place for you." But then again, the blue-haired boy had never been to Caelin. He offered Matthew a smile. "I'm Oujay. If you want, I can help show you around once class is done."

Matthew nodded; that'd be a lifesaver. He turned his attention back ahead of him, where Cain sat. Maybe, with any luck, he'll get another chance to properly thank him later on...

Cain didn't notice when Matthew entered the classroom as well; he was too busy teasing Gordin about his youthful appearance, and the green-haired boy blushed furiously in annoyance as Cain reminded him of the time he'd been escorted to a classroom of students years younger than he. Cain laughed loudly, but the sudden, sharp sound of someone clearing their throat caught his attention. It seemed the teacher had joined them; she looked strict, but in the way that meant no-nonsense, not cruelty. Cain had been sitting on Gordin's desk, but he slid back down into his own and begrudgingly pulled out the textbook. Back to the daily grind…

When the teacher appeared and everyone quieted down, Matthew looked ahead and focused on the teacher; he wanted desperately to start out strong in a new place, and this was the time to show it. While she started talking, explaining things as one usually did at the beginning of class, Matthew heard Oujay lean over in his seat, and his whisper was heard: "Welcome to Ostia."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
Oujay had been a huge help giving Matthew a tour of the school. Unfortunately, however, the one he considered his friend- or, at least, acquaintance- wasn't in the same training group as he, so Matthew was left alone once more. Standing in formation awkwardly, he listened to their instructor, Oswin, speak. The teen couldn't help but marvel at the knight, with his large armor and proud stance and booming voice... Perhaps, if he trained hard, he'd end up like that someday.  
Oswin walked up and down the line of students with his arms behind his back, looking each of them up and down. Some were certainly more physically adept than others, but it was his job to whip all of them into shape. "I got one piece of advice for you all before we begin." His voice was sharp and commanding. "Don't get too friendly with each other in the first week. Guaranteed, half of these faces will be gone within a fortnight. This is not for the faint of heart." As he spoke, he coincidentally stopped directly in front of Matthew, and he leaned down to make intimidating eye contact with the teen. "Do I make myself clear?"  
"Sir, yes sir!" Cain led the chant, making sure to be the loudest. He stood up straight and tall, determined to make a good impression. He could barely contain his excitement; this was the reason he'd joined to be a knight, not to know some boring history.  
"Good!" Oswin barked, backing up to look at the line again. "Now... Let me see what you're made of. Your first assignment... I'll be your opponent, and I'm not going easy." He smirked at the sight of the fearful students. "Who wants to go first?"  
When Oswin stopped in front of him, he could feel a knot growing in his neck; he wasn't sure what he was feeling. Fear from the knight's strong gaze? Anger at the knight for assuming he was weak? Doubt that he could actually do this? Probably all of the above. When Oswin continued past him, it was almost like a weight was lifted off his chest, and he, like everyone else, widened his eyes when Oswin announced that someone would have to fight him. Matthew kept quiet, but couldn't help but wonder who would be brave enough- or stupid enough- to volunteer for this?  
The other knights were thinking the same as Matthew, wondering who would be dumb enough to ask to go first. Well, all except one.  
"Sir, I accept the challenge!" Cain spoke out confidently, puffing his chest out to appear larger. Excitement shone in his bright red eyes, and he bounced a bit on his toes while keeping his posture straight.  
Oswin raised an eyebrow; it was rare that a student actually stepped up without being called, especially on the first day. He was curious, so he beckoned Cain forward. "Your name, cadet?"  
"My name is Cain, sir!" Cain approached the instructor, his heart beating rather quickly in his chest.  
"Well, Cain... Draw your sword and come at me when you're ready. Give me everything you've got!" Oswin pulled out his own wooden sword and prepared himself; it was much too early to be using real blades. The worst injury the practice sword could give was a bad bruise.  
While most other newbie knights only looked at Cain as though he was crazy, Matthew looked at him with a sense of awe. How was the other so confident in his abilities to go up against Oswin, a royal knight? Perhaps the boy who had helped him out in the hallway was more interesting than he had ever thought. From where he stood, he watched as the redhead foolishly and confidently held a wooden sword against their instructor.  
Cain took a deep breath and then drew his wooden sword, holding it tightly in his hand. He had little doubt that the royal knight would lose this fight, but that didn't necessarily mean that Oswin would wipe the floor with him; Cain knew a thing or two about fighting. When he was ready, he lifted his sword and charged, letting out a cry as he attacked.  
Oswin raised his own sword to block, and there was a loud thunk as the wood crashed together. He slipped his blade free and countered with a stab; Cain narrowly dodged, then went in for another slash. Once again, Oswin easily countered, but Cain was able to block the knight's attacks as well. "I said," Oswin challenged, "everything you've got!"  
Cain's face became determined, and he readjusted his grip on the sword. He advanced again, starting to attack to one side-- then quickly switched to the other, faking Oswin out. Oswin saw it coming and blocked; he could tell by Cain's stance what the student planned to do, so he was prepared. Still, he was impressed at the strength at which Cain came at him, and the confidence behind his attacks. "That's more like it!" He encouraged, though he didn't let his guard down for a second.  
Matthew could feel himself tensing up subconsciously when Cain attacked the royal guard; he was expecting the older knight to retaliate, to send the redhead off flying... but instead, Oswin encouraged the younger knight, seeming just as surprised by Cain's strength and bravery as the rest of the students. Not allowed to do anything else, he watched Cain fight in front of everyone else, unable to keep a look of amazement off of his face.  
Cain went at Oswin again and again, though after some time his footwork began to get a bit sloppy; he didn't have nearly the endurance as the seasoned knight, who had barely broken a sweat. Still, Cain kept up the right for an impressive length, much longer than the instructor thought he would; he smiled, pleased, as he blocked yet another of Cain's attacks.  
Cain stepped back for a moment to catch his breath, still gripping the sword in both hands. Did the older knight have any weaknesses!? It certainly didn't seem so. Cain dashed forward again and attacked at an angle; he pressed hard as his wooden blade smashed against Oswin's, and he pushed back with all his might. Without warning, he twisted, shifting the weight from one side of the weapon to the other. The sudden pressure was enough to wrench Oswin's wrists in an awkward position and make him drop his practice sword. "Ha! Yes!" Cain cried out loudly with a grin, convinced that by some miracle he'd won, but his victory was cut short as Oswin struck out and popped him square in the jaw, sending him staggering backwards.  
A blow with all his power likely would have shattered Cain's jaw, so Oswin held back... a little. "Don't be foolish. A sword isn't your only weapon," he said harshly. "And your own..." He advanced while Cain was still stunned from the blow, and instead of retrieving his own, he wrenched the practice sword from Cain's grasp and turned it on the redhead. "... Can be used against you." A rough shove sent Cain crashing to the ground, and Oswin had the wooden sword pointing at his throat.  
There was a collective gasp amongst the crowd when Cain was struck in the jaw; Matthew visibly winced. It looked very painful, coupled with the fact Oswin was wearing so much armor... It was a disappointing sight to see the redhead laying on the ground, a sword pointed at his neck in defeat. Matthew swallowed hard, unable to take his eyes off the defeated redhead. Would they really all end up as strong as Oswin someday?  
Cain rubbed his jaw and scowled as Oswin defeated him, though it was expected. To his surprise, Oswin offered a hand down towards him, and Cain hesitantly took it, allowing the knight to help him to his feet. The senior knight gave a smile and a nod of his head; Cain had earned just a bit of his respect, even if for just his courage alone. "You show real promise, cadet. Truth be told, no one's ever lasted nearly that long against me before on their first day. You keep up with your training, and you'll go far." He yanked the redhead to his feet, then the stern expression was back on his face. "Back in line, cadet!"  
"Sir, yes sir!" Cain quickly returned to his spot in the line, though it was clear that he was beaming with pride at the praise from the instructor. He seemed to stand up just a bit straighter, his chin held high.  
Matthew watched as Cain got back in line with the rest of them, staring at the redhead as long as he possibly could before Oswin started speaking once again. Pushing away his thoughts, he focused solely on the instructor. If he wanted to get better, he'd have to focus...


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The following weeks that went by were a bit easier. By now, he had grown mostly comfortable in the new school, and although he still hadn't many friends, he remained close with Oujay. There were times he wandered the big city and felt small and homesick for the familiar roads of Caelin, but was ultimately glad he had come here. Partly for the training, and partly... well, his interest in Cain hadn't slowed. He found himself often gawking at the redhead from afar, and more often than not Oujay would call him out. He did anything to deny the fact that he had a crush on Cain, though he found that was his motivation for getting better at training. He wished to be paired up with the redhead, to get him to notice him by his immense skill. For that reason alone, he trained harder than he ever thought he would. On one training night in particular, Matthew had been overworking himself as usual. He was up against his partner, determined to show both Cain and Oswin that he was much much stronger. Though, in the middle of the training, his sword arm started to act up; it had been hurting off and on for the past few days, but Matthew opted to ignore it. But now, every movement of it hurt, and he had to stop not even halfway through the sparring session. "Shit..." he cursed under his breath as he held his arm. His partner had called over Oswin to take a look at him, and he had a feeling this wasn't going to go well...

"Ha!" Cain exclaimed as he knocked his training partner to the ground triumphantly. Being a good sport, however, he offered his hand down to help the other teen up. "Hey, that one was closer," he laughed as they started to spar again. Usually Oswin was pretty good at matching them up, but today he'd been partnered with someone quite a bit below his skill level, and couldn't help but feel a bit bad for the other boy. "Best five out of nine, then?"

Oswin frowned as he approached Matthew and his partner; he'd noticed the way that the teen had been favoring one arm, as though it was bothering him. "Training is important... but so is knowing when to rest," he said wisely. He was strict, but he wasn't cruel; he wouldn't force an injured student to continue. With a glance over his shoulder, he saw the star pupil knocking his partner down once more. "Cain!" He called, and beckoned the redhead over. "Go with Matthew to see the nurse." He instructed Matthew's partner to go pair with Cain's instead.

Cain came when he was called and gave the Ostian salute, though his expression dropped when he realized what he was being asked to do. He had to step out of training for escort duty? Couldn't someone else do it? He knew better than to argue with Oswin, so he just nodded. "Yes, sir. Come on, then," he waved Matthew forward. There was no recognition in his eyes; he didn't seem to remember the student he'd helped on the first day.

Matthew could handle being escorted to the nurse; he could even handle taking one day of rest. What he couldn't handle was  _ Cain  _ being the one to escort him, and his eyes widened as the redhead was called over. Gods, please, Matthew prayed silently, anyone but him! Perhaps it was the Gods' blessings that Cain didn't recognize him. Matthew only nodded his head, thanking Oswin and bowing his head, before he walked off with the redhead. As they walked, Matthew kept his head low and his gaze away from the other; the last thing he wanted was to be noticed for his weakness rather than his strength.

Cain noticed the way that Matthew kept his gaze downward and face turned away. He understood; getting hurt in practice was so embarrassing, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy. The silence was awkward, and he felt compelled to break it as they walked. The nurse wasn't far, but they still had a minute or two to speak. "So... Matthew, right?" He was pretty sure that was the name Oswin had said. "What'd you do?" He pointed to the other teen's arm.

Matthew snuck a glance in the other's direction once the other said his name. "Yeah," he murmured, a nod of his head to confirm that it was, in fact, his. "Oh, I..." Well, it wasn't like he could really lie about how he got his injury; it was him being neglectful and stupid. "I guess I worked it too hard during training. Probably won't make  _ that  _ mistake again."

"Right..." Cain nodded, but then offered a smile. "Hey, you're not the only one. Back a couple years ago, one of the beds in the nurse's office practically had my name on it!" He laughed as he tried to cheer Matthew up. As he looked at the tawny-haired teen, he couldn't help but notice the size difference between them; Cain was tall and stocky, while Matthew was small and lithe. That's probably why he didn't recognize him; it would have been borderline cruel for Oswin to pair them for practice. "My old instructor, Jagen, used to say that pushing yourself to the breaking point was the only way to truly know your limits." The wisdom had stuck with him, and he was glad to share it. After a moment, he glanced up; they'd arrived, and it looked like the cleric wasn't busy at all, so they could go right in. He'd feel bad just dumping Matthew off and dashing back to training, so he decided to stick around and make sure that the other would be okay.

Matthew managed a small laugh as Cain tried to cheer him up; perhaps getting sent to the nurse's office wasn't such a bad thing after all, and he was happy to at least have the redhead talking to him for the first time.

Luckily, the cleric had said Matthew's injury wasn't serious, and that it only needed some time to rest. To help out, she made the teenager a sling for his arm, and he could stay the remainder of the training session on a bed if he'd like. He slowly nodded his head before the cleric gave him a small smile and left him alone with the redhead once more. He smiled softly at the redhead. "Thanks for coming with me, but... I think I'll be fine here."

Cain sat in a nearby chair while the nurse looked at Matthew, and he seemed glad that the injury wasn't serious. When it was just the two of them again, Cain shrugged nonchalantly, as if to say 'no problem.' Still, he hesitated, and didn't leave immediately. There'd been a question that had been bugging him ever since Oswin had called him over. "Listen... I mean no offense, but you don't exactly look the soldier type. Why'd you pick it?" His curiosity got the better of him, and he had to ask.

Matthew blinked when Cain asked the question; why did he choose to become a soldier? He smiled weakly. "I didn't know you had to be a specific type to be a soldier," he replied back as he thought to himself. "I don't... really have a reason. My family isn't poor or anything, we lived a relatively normal life. I just... wanted to come here and do something. I guess I just don't want to feel weak anymore."

Cain nodded his head; he was starting to get a sense of what the problem was. "Right, well you're not going to get anywhere if you keep hurting yourself." He meant it as a joke, and his tone was lighthearted. "I don't mean to boast, but... Well, you've seen what I can do." He smiled proudly. "If you wanted to, I  _ might  _ consider letting you join me for a couple of my own training sessions. Right now, Oswin's doing baby stuff... It'll be hard to get anywhere just doing that." He seemed a bit irritated that the pace was too slow for him, but he made up for it in his own practice.

Matthew couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed when Cain mentioned that he had hurt himself; even if it was a joke, he still felt self-conscious about his mistake. He perked up a little bit when the other mentioned joining him for his training sessions. Was it that wise of an idea to join the redhead for extra time when he was struggling doing the normal training? He supposed practice made perfect, but... "Wouldn't you rather train with your own partner?"

"I  _ do  _ train with my partner," Cain pointed out. "I was offering something extra. I usually do it on my own, but you're free to join me." Cain liked being the best, but that didn't mean he didn't want others to succeed, too. He truly wanted to help Matthew, but all he could do was offer; if the teen didn't have the drive to work for improvement, they'd never get anywhere. "Anyway... You don't have to. Let your arm get better first." He cracked another smile, and then started to stand. "I'll head back then, if you're alright here."

Matthew slowly nodded his head, watching as the other stood up and started to turn around. He shifted himself on the bed in order to lay down, staring at the blank ceiling above him. Before Cain left the room, he spoke softly. "I think I'll take you up on that offer," he said, turning his head to look at the redhead's back.

Cain glanced over his shoulder, having just barely heard the words. He smiled, and waved goodbye. "Good. There's your motivation to heal up fast, then!" With another short laugh, he started to jog back towards the training grounds to continue the day's work.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next few days were agony; every emotion possible raced through his mind, and he got antsy as the day for their first lesson arrived. What was he so nervous for? Why was he more nervous training with Cain rather than a full-fledged knight? The night before, he laid in his bed and stare up at the ceiling, trying to play out the lesson's events in his head. What if he messed up? What if Cain got frustrated with him? Perhaps he should tell the redhead he wasn't feeling well, and they should do it another time? No. He didn't want to chicken out of their first lesson, and instead, he opted to see it as an opportunity. This way, Cain could see him getting stronger firsthand. That thought made his stomach churn a little less. By the time the lesson rolled around, he was determined once again to give it his best shot.

"Alright. Lesson one: Don't look at your feet, but know what they're doing." It was a couple days later, and Cain had met up with Matthew in the practice field long after everyone else had left. He'd already determined that he'd have to start a bit further back, but that was fine; under his instruction, he believed he could get Matthew caught up in no time. "The last thing you want to do is be stumbling over yourself right into the path of someone's sword."

Matthew nodded his head at Cain's instruction, and he stood with his feet planted firmly on the ground, shoulder-width apart.

Practices without weapons were boring, but necessary, and Cain integrated them into part of his own training. "Think of it like dancing," Cain suggested with a grin. "Nobody really wants to do it, but it's important to know how."

...

They did drills until Matthew was red in the face and practically drenched in sweat. Cain was breathing hard too, but he could have gone on longer. Still, he didn't want to run Matthew so ragged on the first day that he got burned out. "Alright, alright... Let's call it a day." After a workout they needed to stretch, so he lifted his arms up over his head; his shirt rode up slightly, exposing the lower part of his stomach.

Well, it had gone smoother than he thought. A bit sweatier than he thought, but it didn't have as many failures. Panting heavily, he nodded his head. Coupled with the fact they had done training in class as well, Matthew was incredibly tired. Was he really going to have to do this everyday? He started doing his own stretches, and glanced over to the redhead, watching how he stretched so casually, his shirt lifting up a bit... If Matthew wasn't already red-faced, he would've flushed hard. Perhaps doing this everyday  _ wasn't  _ so bad.

After a few minutes of getting his muscles nice and relaxed, Cain straightened up again. "Lesson's over, but the training never stops." He grinned, and slapped Matthew on the back lightly. "Lesson Two: getting some meat on those bones. Wanna grab dinner?" He was starved, and the loud growl that came from his stomach proved it. He'd already caught his breath, and his face was losing its tint of pink from the exercise. A bit of food and he'd definitely feel rejuvenated. Okay... maybe a  _ lot  _ of food.

There wasn't many times in Caelin one could get a one-on-one lesson with a knight, so Matthew felt a bit bad he was far behind the others when it came to training. It especially showed when the teen didn't seem to have lost any of the fluster on his face when Cain looked fine. All he wanted to do was go to bed, but knew it was best to at least eat something. "I guess so," he replied with as much of a smile as he could muster up.

"Well, you don't have to sound so excited about it," Cain teased, gently punching Matthew on the shoulder. "Need me to carry you?" He laughed as walked on ahead, leading the way towards the dining commons.

Cain's meal consisted mostly of meat as he tried to meet his daily need of protein. Sure, he had some vegetables too, but he wasn't all too enamored with them. It was Cain's idea to sit outside in the fresh air, so they took their meals out and sat up on the stone wall next to the path. Cain had barely shoved the first bite in his mouth when the noise of horse hooves trotting began, and he glanced up; Abel was heading in his direction, with an unridden horse in tow. "Looks like I'll be taking this to-go." He wrapped the rest of his food up and shoved it in his bag, already up on his feet by the time Abel arrived the horses.

"May I have this dance?" Abel teased the redhead as he handed him the reins.

"In your dreams, pretty boy," Cain shot back with a grin as he mounted the horse, settling into the saddle comfortably. "Oh... See you later, Matthew!" He seemed to have forgotten that he was with company, but remembered to wave goodbye at the last second before galloping off.

Matthew hardly got to say goodbye to the redhead before the other was galloping away with a friend. He only waved weakly, before his hand fell to his side and he stared down at his food, feeling less hungry than he had been. Back to being alone for the remainder of the night, it seemed.

...

The training was exhausting. Training normally and then going extra with Cain... he didn't know how he'd keep this up. Still, he told himself, it'd get easier. He sat down on the grass next to the redhead after another hard day of training, looking the other over. Matthew seemed dead on his feet, but Cain... he looked perfectly fine. "I don't know how you do it," he said, breaking the silence with a small smile. "It's amazing how this is so easy for you..."

Cain flopped down on the grass with a huff; they'd been working hard, and deserved a break. When Matthew spoke up, he glanced over and returned the smile... though he averted his gaze, like he was hiding something. "Heh... Yeah..." He liked to make things look easy; he enjoyed the praise of the instructor and the admiration of his peers, though he hid the fact that he worked so hard to get it. Even in the extra sessions with Matthew, he didn't go all out; really pushing himself was reserved for his personal training time. Still, he hated to hear Matthew sound so haggard about it. "It's not easy," he admitted finally, after a period of silence. "If it were easy, anyone could do it."

"I know it's not easy," Matthew replied back with a light chuckle; he knew all too well it wasn't easy. He had been struggling towards the beginning, and he was still struggling, even with Cain's guidance. "I guess you're one of those people it comes naturally to,"  he mused aloud, though he didn't look the other in the eye. Perhaps he was a bit embarrassed to be admitting to being envious of the redhead.

"I suppose..." Cain responded in a quiet voice, though he was thinking of how long he'd been training; practically since he could pick up a sword without falling over. Certainly much longer than most of his peers. "I think hard work will get you where you need to be. Though, a certain amount of luck doesn't hurt." He smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood; even only a few weeks into the academic year, he was already known for his uncanny luck and ability for things to twist in his favor.

"Yes, I suppose," he replied back softly, nodding his head. That seemed to be what everyone was always saying; work hard, and he'd be better in no time. Matthew desperately hoped that would be true. Sometimes it felt like working harder only set him back, as he felt so tired all the time... he never felt like himself. "It gets easier, doesn't it?"

"Well... Sort of," Cain said with a wave of his hand. "You'll find that things you used to struggle with aren't something you even think about anymore... but that's because you're busy struggling with the  _ next  _ thing." He chuckled, despite their conversation not being funny. "Come on, sourpuss. I feel like I'm giving a failed motivational speech here."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I've often been told I'm not the most positive person ever," he said as he offered a smile before he looked up at the sky. Every muscle in his body told him not to get up, ad simply curl up for a well-needed nap, but he forced his tired leg to stand up. "Alright... I guess I'm ready."

"Nah... You keep going up like that and you'll just fall right back down." Cain reached up and yanked on Matthew's shirt, tugging the other teen back down to the ground. "Besides, I'm still tired." That part may have been a bit of a white lie, but he stretched his arms and groaned anyway. "You're not from Ostia, are you?" Cain asked suddenly, looking at Matthew with curious eyes.

Matthew huffed lightly as he was tugged back down to the ground. Inwardly, he was glad for the extended break. Glancing back over to Cain, he blinked before nodded his head. "Yeah... I'm from Caelin. Was it that obvious I'm not from here?" He chuckled out softly. "I came here at the beginning of the year, so I'm all by myself up here right now."

"It's pretty obvious," Cain agreed with a laugh as he leaned back in the soft grass, letting the cool autumn breeze blow gently against his face. "All by yourself, huh..." Cain couldn't imagine what that must be like, to be in a new place with no one else. "You must get lonely sometimes."

Matthew sat back as well, looking up at the darkening sky above them. It was true, he missed his family and the few friends he had come to know back in Caelin... but he was happy here in Ostia, doing what he had always wanted to. "Yeah... It's a bit hard, not knowing anybody, being behind everyone else in training... But, I think I'll get by. I'm pretty good by myself most of the time." He looked over to Cain. "What about you?"

Cain nodded his head, glad to hear that Matthew didn't feel terribly alone. "Me n' Abel, we were both born in Altea, but then came to Ostia as scraps. It's all I can remember, so I guess I never really considered anywhere else to be home except here." He laughed as he thought of his family, who lived not too terribly far away. "Truthfully, I think Ma was more than glad to have me out of her hair and send me here for knight training. Can't say I blame her."

"I see," Matthew replied back softly, thinking to himself. Abel must be the green-haired one he rode off with a few days ago, then. "At least you have a close friend who came from the same place as you, then." He thought of his few friends back in Caelin; none had shared the same ideals as him, and he had made the journey alone. "You really are lucky."

"Yeah... He's like a brother to me." Cain smiled, though it slowly started to fade. There should have been a third face that joined them in Ostia from Altea, but... He sighed. At the comment about his uncanny luck, he nodded, and then lifted his chin to look upwards at the slowly darkening sky. "I guess I am. Some people can't say the same..." He dwelled on it for just a heartbeat too long, and then he slapped a hand on Matthew's back and started to get to his feet. "Well, that's enough of that. Back to work!" The strange, forlorn expression he'd had moments earlier was replaced by his usual smile, and he stuck his hand down to help Matthew up.

Matthew looked over at the redhead as he spoke again, noticing how the other looked a bit sad when the remark left his mouth, and his eyes softened in sorrow. Just what, he wondered, had the other gone through for him to seem so sad? He watched as Cain stood once more, nodding his head as he took the other’s hand and stood once more. “Sir, yes sir!” He exclaimed, returning the smile in a joking fashion.

"That's more like it!" Cain grinned as he pulled Matthew to his feet. "Now then..." He picked up their practice swords and tossed one of them at his training partner. "Come at me!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The week continued as usual, though there was a small nagging in the back of Cain's mind. Ever since he'd talked with Matthew about coming from Altea, he'd been feeling a bit distracted; even Oswin had noticed it in practice, but Cain claimed he was fine to avoid being sent back to his room. Now, after practice, it was a day in which he would rest his muscles to prevent fatigue from overexertion. He was sitting in one of the lobbies that general students used for studying their academic materials, but there was no one else in the room except for him; he'd left the door open, and there were miscellaneous noises coming from beyond it, but he paid them no attention. Instead, he had a notebook out and was writing in it, completely absorbed in his task.

Matthew, like a few others, noticed Cain seeming distracted during training and the such, and couldn’t help but feel concerned. Perhaps it was something he had said? Maybe something had happened? He noticed the other sitting alone in the lobby, and sighed softly to himself. Perhaps he  _ should  _ check up on the other. Unbeknownst to him, his footsteps had gotten quieter and lighter, and he trailed silently across the floor, up behind Cain. He took a deep breath, then put a hand on Cain’s shoulder. “Hey.”

Cain was totally focused on what he was writing; he'd even doodled slightly, making markings of the Altean crest in the margins next to the words. In addition to the fact that he was already pretty spaced out, Matthew's footsteps were light and practically soundless; he had no idea that the other teen had entered the room... until he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Agh!" He let out a startled cry and jabbed his elbow upwards sharply at an angle, accidentally bashing it into Matthew's cheek and eye.

Cain wasn’t the only one who let out a startled cry, though Matthew’s was mixed in with pain as he was suddenly struck in the face. Stumbling back, he put a hand up to his face; his eye throbbed painfully. No doubt he’d get some sort of bruise from that... “What was that for?!” He exclaimed, though in more surprise than anger.

Cain's eyes widened as he realized his 'attacker' wasn't an attacker at all, but rather a friend. "Gods! Matthew, you scared the shit out of me." He jumped up from his chair, but not before slamming his notebook closed; the last thing he wanted was for someone to read it. He winced as he realized that he'd jabbed Matthew right in the eye. "Jeez, I'm really sorry... Are you okay?"

“Other than the fact I just got elbowed in the face, I’m fine,” he mumbled out, taking his hand off his eye for a moment. It was already turning into a light purple bruise, and seemed painful to the touch. Though, after a moment, he managed a smile. “No hard feelings, I guess. I was cursed with silent feet; can’t say this is the first time something like this has happened.”

Cain returned the small smile, though his looked sheepish and apologetic. "Come on, I'll walk with you to the nurse. You'll probably need some ice on that." He apologized again as he gestured to the forming bruise. Before they left the room, he grabbed his journal that was on the table and held it close to him, as if he was trying to hide its presence; it was too big to fit in his pocket, but he couldn't just leave it. "Need me to carry you down there?" He joked, after yet another apology.

“I think I’ll pass that offer; it’s my face that’s messed up, not my foot,” he said with another light chuckle as he was escorted to the nurse yet again by Cain. Seemed like he was always getting hurt. “I actually came to check up on you. Lately you’ve seemed so down and distracted... it’s a bit worrying. Especially ever since our training session...”

Cain chuckled as they walked, glad that Matthew wasn't upset with him; he'd been so absorbed in what he was doing, he wasn't paying any attention to his surroundings. He felt horrible for accidentally harming the other teen; protecting his friends was exactly why he was here in the first place. "Check up on me...? What for?" He seemed confused until Matthew explained, and then he seemed to go quiet again, his face once more losing its boyish shine. "Oh... I was just a bit tired, that's all." He smiled weakly, and didn't look at Matthew. He was a terrible liar-- always had been.

Matthew only let out a loud ‘ha!’. “Tired? Well, if you’re so tired, then something must be keeping you up at night. Especially after that little speech you gave me a few nights ago, I can’t imagine anything getting between you and your training. If anything, I should be the one complaining about being tired.”

"There's nothing," Cain insisted, though his argument was weak. "Can't a guy just have an off day?" He tried to make himself sound a bit irritated, but instead he just sounded defensive, which only proved Matthew's point further. "We're almost there. How's your eye feeling?" He changed the subject as he increased his walking pace.

“You’ve been having an off day ever since you started writing in that notebook of yours,” Matthew replied back, though he didn’t press the argument any further. He could tell Cain didn’t want to talk, and felt a little hurt the other wouldn’t talk to him about it. Then again, it wasn’t like they were super close, so what did he really expect? He shrugged half-heartedly as he kept up with Cain’s longer strides easily. “Still hurts.”

"Pssh... It's just a... training log," Cain fibbed weakly, though his attempts to cover it up were halfhearted at best, and he knew it. He clutched the notebook a bit tighter; most of the pages were empty, but there were a few in there with logs he'd written, each after an event that made him think about the past. "Sorry, again..." he mumbled another apology, but still averted his gaze. It was strange for him to be so quiet; it didn't seem like him at all.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the nurse's office, and she swiveled around in her chair to greet them with an amused smile. "You two again? Cain, what have I told you about picking fights?"

"It was an accident this time!" Cain protested, but he started to smile again. "This snake here crept up behind me." He pointed his thumb at Matthew and flashed a teasing grin. It seemed whatever had had him so upset earlier was slowly fading.

Matthew couldn’t help but smile as Cain jokingly argued with the cleric; this probably wouldn’t be the first time he’d be in the clerics because of accidentally sneaking up on someone; back in Caelin, his friends teased him about being a mouse or even a ghost. He never tried to, he was always just... quiet. “First time I’ve been called a snake. It’s cooler than anything else I’ve ever been called.”

"I bet the other names weren't as nice. I  _ could  _ have called you something like a sneaky son of a b--" Cain's words were cut short as the nurse smacked him over the back of the head for his use of language; he rubbed it overdramatically. "Now I'll need an ice pack too ," he whined, but his fake pout was quickly broken by his smile.

Matthew let out a laugh as Cain was hit over the head for his use of language. “Can’t say I haven’t been called that,” he replied back as he was finally given an ice pack for his face. Pressing the cold pack up against his face, he sighed out softly; hopefully the other knights in training didn’t think he got his ass kicked in a fight... Though, he guessed it wasn’t too far fetched of an assumption.

Cain laughed as well, and he gave Matthew a friendly-- and gentle-- punch on the shoulder. "Heal up fast, snake. Training stops for no one."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

A couple more months passed in peace-- well, peace for Cain, anyway. He kept up with his training and practiced diligently, never neglecting it and staying at the top of the class. Matthew had come to be a consistent training partner with him, and the two had grown closer as time went by; this didn't go unnoticed by some of the other students, though Cain was always too busy to pay attention to such gossip. The one thing he  _ did  _ pay attention to was the state of Matthew's well-being.. and it's apparent deterioration. The drills were getting harder and the practices longer, and it didn't seem as though the teen could keep up.

"Alright, let's take a break." Cain tossed his sword to the side and flopped down in the grass. It wasn't a scheduled break in his regimen, but he could see that Matthew was worn out; he didn't want to run his partner ragged. He'd just have to make up for the slack later.

Oswin really hadn't been lying when he said this wasn't for the faint of heart; Matthew watched as those who were less experienced with this type of training drop out, and he was probably the only low-experience trainee left. Nevertheless, that didn't mean it was easy for him. It was well obvious he was the lowest in the class; his determination outweighed his own body's limits.

He was especially exhausted one evening as he trained with Cain; he knew this wasn't a  scheduled break, but was glad for it nonetheless. At least the redhead wasn't giving up on him...

Matthew eagerly flopped down on the grass, breathing heavily as he looked up at the sky. Something had been running through his mind ever since this morning... "Hey, Cain," he breathed out. "Do you think I'm a lost cause?"

"A lost cause...?" Cain echoed, following Matthew's gaze up towards the sky. "Nah. I don't think anyone's a lost cause. But..." He hesitantly started to say something, but then stopped, and shook his head. "Heh. Nevermind. It's getting cold, isn't it?" He changed the subject quickly; it was strange, and unlike him. Usually when he had something to say, he'd say it, but for this... It seemed to be something he was still thinking about.

Matthew glanced over at Cain, noticing how the other hesitated to say something else, but decided not to press on it as he simply gazed back upwards. "Yeah... Winter is coming, isn't it?" he mused aloud as he wondered how training would go in the snow. He then visibly flinched as he realized he might not even be able to see it...  _ Shape up, or you're out of here _ , Oswin had told him, and he sighed out.

"Yeah. The Winter Dance is in a couple months..." The ghost of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth; that was always a fun event. "Before that, though, we've got our performance finals. You know Oswin, he never goes easy." Cain chuckled, but it was without true humor. He was quiet for a few more moments, and then let out a sigh; he had to say something about what was on his mind, even if it might hurt Matthew to hear. "Hey... Remember when I said you didn't really look the soldier type?"

"The Winter Dance..." Matthew murmured out; they had one back in Caelin, but he had never gone to it. Perhaps this year he would. The teen glanced over towards the redhead as he was addressed once more. "Oh, yeah, I remember that. I guess I probably still don't, huh? It's not like I'm all decked out in armor with rippling muscles."

"Well, listen..." Cain wasn't sure how to phrase what he wanted to say, but he'd already started and it was too late to back out now. "You're clearly the fastest in our class, and I'd put my money on you for being the most agile, too. That's awesome, but... I think Oswin is looking for people with a different skillset. I'm just not sure if being a knight is suited for you." He looked at Matthew as he spoke; his red eyes showed genuine concern, and weren't at all condescending.

Once what Cain was actually going to say finally came out, Matthew looked a little hurt. He went quiet for a moment, before averting his gaze from the redhead. Managing a weak smile, he sighed. "You don't need to tell me about that; Oswin already threatened to kick me out." He replied back softly. Up here, alone in Ostia, he didn't want to be kicked out of the only place he was part of. Leaving meant making a long, miserable journey back to Caelin... "So I am a lost cause here, huh?"

"That's not what I meant," Cain said quickly, then paused before continuing. "I'm not giving up on you. I just think that you have something to offer to Ostia in a different way than this. I... I don't know what that is, to tell you the truth. But if you continue like this, well... You'll probably just end up getting yourself killed." That was really saying something, especially coming from Cain, who was known for his recklessness that often resulted in his own injury.

"..." Matthew didn't respond at first, going quiet as he laid there in the grass. He always knew he probably wasn't going to make it in the long run, but hearing it aloud hurt a bit, especially from Cain. Was it inevitable, then? There was nothing he could do to succeed? Slowly, the teen rose to his feet, grabbing the wooden sword that had been placed next to him. "...Sorry for wasting your time, then," he murmured out before he turned to leave.

The silence was deafening, and Cain fidgeted uncomfortably where he sat. After a moment, Matthew got up to leave, and Cain jumped to his feet; he reached out and seized Matthew's arm, preventing the other from going any further. "Wait a minute. Didn't you hear the part where I said I'm not giving up on you?" He released his hold after the teen turned back to look at him. "Being a knight isn't the only path to take here. We'll find something. Besides... I'd miss you if you went all the way back to Caelin." He smiled. "I'd have to find someone else willing to work themselves to the bone with me after school."

It felt nice to know Cain was willing to keep helping him despite the fact it looked inevitable Matthew would be kicked out of knight training. Matthew even managed a small smile, though it quickly faded away. "Well, if I left you'd have to find someone else anyway. I don't see why you'd want to keep training with someone so far behind you."

"Wanna know the truth? I do a lot more extra practice than just this." Cain offered a smile, even when Matthew's faded. "These times, heh... Well, they were mostly for you, trying to help you get caught up." The drills they did were pretty far behind what Cain was capable of, but he scheduled it like that on purpose to help steer Matthew on track. "I'll get my training in regardless. It's you I'm worried about." He seemed a bit embarrassed to admit such a thing.

Matthew blinked as the other explained they were only doing this because of him. "That would've been nice to know earlier, before I felt bad for keeping you back," he said, though he managed another smile and this time kept it. Knowing the other did it just for him... it filled his chest up with warmth, and he felt genuinely happy. "Well... I guess it'll be fun while it lasts, huh?"

"That's the spirit," Cain encouraged with a grin. "Now, come on... Our day's not over yet. You've gotta stick around long enough to go to the Winter Dance, at least! Maybe get a few muscles on you, impress some girls?" He winked, and then leaned to grab his own wooden practice sword.

Matthew laughed out as Cain mentioned the Winter Dance and how he'd have to impress some girls. "Well, there is one person I'm trying to impress," he said with a smile as he turned around fully, making his way back to their training grounds. "I'm ready when you are!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The dance was coming up soon, and Matthew felt more nervous as it got closer. He continued to stare at Cain from afar, one hand holding up his head as he stared, with a look of happiness on his face. How he desperately wished to ask the redhead out to the dance, but he noticed how Cain looked over a girl in their class the same way Matthew looked at him... It hurt a bit, and by this point, the teen had accepted he wasn't going with Cain.

One day, during their training- the test had been done by this point, and even though Matthew knew it'd probably be his final straw in the class, it hadn't been decided yet, and he and Cain still trained together to spend time together. During one of their breaks, he sat down next to Cain, before glancing over at his friend. "So... Any luck on getting a date for the dance?"

Cain was feeling confident after his physical exam; he'd really gotten the chance to show Oswin how much he'd improved, and was very pleased with his progress. The academic exam... not so much. He studied enough to pass, but that clearly wasn't his main objective. Even after the training classes were let out for the winter break, Cain kept up his own personal training, including those extra sessions with Matthew. He'd grown to enjoy the time he spent with the other teen. During a break, he raised a water bottle to his lips; even in the cold, crisp air, the cool liquid felt nice sliding down his parched throat. He smacked his lips with a satisfied  _ ahh  _ and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then looked over towards Matthew. "Well..." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was thinking about asking someone."

"Oh... really?" Matthew did his best to not sound disappointed. He knew Cain wasn't talking about him when he said 'someone.' "Is it that girl you're always making goo goo eyes at?" He snickered, giving Cain a light punch in the arm. "Don't tell me you can go through rigorous training and be afraid to talk to a girl."

"Heyy," Cain whined, overdramatically rubbing the shoulder that Matthew punched. "I don't make  _ goo goo _ eyes at anyone. That kind of lovey-dovey stuff isn't for me." He scoffed and rolled his eyes, but then a silly smile formed on his face. "... Do you think she likes me?" It was obvious in his voice that he was head over heels in naive puppy love.

Matthew sighed out as he looked up at the sky, pretending he didn't look the same way at Cain when his back was turned. Something churned in his stomach. "I don't see why not. You're not the unlikeable," he said with a soft laugh. "You... You should go for it."

"She'll probably go with her sisters like she does every year." Cain sighed heavily, but seemed to chipper up a bit. "Maybe I'll try anyway. Hey, you can be my wingman," he joked, nudging Matthew on the shoulder. "What about you? Got anyone lined up?"

"I wouldn't count on it. I'm not really the best at that kind of stuff." He replied back, managing a smile. When the other asked, a light cluster appeared on Matthew's face. "Huh? Well, I..." he didn't know how to answer. "I guess there is... someone I like. But, I don't think I'm gonna go for it. She, uh... She likes someone else."

"Oh?" Cain seemed interested, and he scooted a bit closer to Matthew. "Who is it? Who is it?" He asked twice before Matthew could even answer the first time. "C'mon, I promise not to tell!" He nudged the other teen on the shoulder again.

The fluster on Matthew's face grew a little bit as he desperate tried to find a way to get out of this. "I-it doesn't really matter. I'm not asking her and I'm not gonna go to the dance, either. This is the same guy who fell over during his physical exam-  _ twice _ . It's not like people are lining up to date me."

Cain stuck out his lower lip in a pout when Matthew refused to tell him, though he couldn't say that he was surprised. Still, his expression faded into a smile that he tried to hide when the other teen mentioned how he'd fallen over during the physical exam; it  _ was  _ kind of amusing. "Wait a minute, you still should go," he insisted. "It's a lot of fun, with or without a date. Besides..." He paused for a second, then offered a knowing smile. "I kind of got the feeling that you don't really like girls, anyway."

Matthew blushed a bit more furiously when the other said his last comment. Was he that obvious?! "Wh-Whatever," Matthew said as he stood up once more. "I'll think about it. Can we get back to training? I'm freezing my ass off." Anything to get out of that conversation.

This made Cain burst out laughing, and he almost fell back in the snow-dusted grass. He was still trying to catch his breath as he stood, the laughter still bubbling over in small spurts, getting worse every time he imagined Matthew's furiously blushing cheeks. "Alright, alright... You  _ are  _ actually going to the dance though, right?"

Matthew huffed as the other kept laughing at him, but he couldn't help but crack a smile as well. Cain's happiness was contagious, especially for him. "Well, if you end up dateless and want a loser like me there, then sure." It was probably the closest he'd get to being asked out.

"Hey, stop talkin' so bad about yourself." Cain tried to cheer Matthew up, and smacked him gently on the back. "If worst comes to worst, you'll be my date, right?" He grinned, though his words were clearly a joke. He reached out and jabbed Matthew in the stomach with the wooden sword.

Matthew offered another small smile as Cain gave him a light smack in the back; for a moment he wondered if Cain was inviting only  _ him  _ along, or if all his other friends were going too. At Cain's question, he bit back an ecstatic 'of course!'. "Sure... I don't see why not," he said, smiling and trying to hold in the fact he'd be going to his first dance with Cain.

...

Well, the day of the dance had come, and it looked like Cain was going dateless after all; if not for Matthew, he might have gone completely alone. Abel had taken his chances with Palla, who had happily accepted. Cain did decide to ask Catria, but she turned him down in favor of keeping her little sister Est company at her first real dance. Of course, Draug was with Norne, and poor Gordin couldn't go at all, stuck babysitting his little brother.

Cain rapped his knuckles on the door to Matthew's room, then used the other to straighten up his corsage. The outfits were a little stuffier than he liked, but it was nice to dress up every once in awhile. "You ready to go? I think we're already fashionably late." The dance had started a few minutes prior, but nobody who was anybody actually got there exactly when it started.

Well, the day of the dance had come, and Matthew still wasn't sure how he felt about all this. Getting dressed up so fancily to go to a dance where he wasn't even sure he fully knew how to dance was daunting, if not intimidating. This was all ignoring the fact he was going with Cain, which was the biggest nerve wracking thing about it. Being a teenager away from home, he hadn't exactly packed a tuxedo to bring with him, so he found whatever he could find that he deemed better than 'fine.'  Matthew sighed to himself as he slipped on his shoes. _ Its fine. Just act like you're having a normal hang out _ , he told himself.  "Yeah, I'm coming," he called out, and soon enough, he opened the door to be met with Cain in fancier clothing. The teen couldn't stop a light blush to rise on his cheeks. "Heh... you weren't kidding about being fashionable."

Cain grinned as Matthew opened the door, and glanced down; the redhead was in nicer clothing, obviously more prepared for the occasion, but he did think that Matthew looked rather nice. "Well look at you, handsome," he teased back, pretending to brush a bit of dust off of Matthew's shoulder. "Shall we be off?" He gestured for the other teen to go ahead.

Ah, the Winter Formal, held in a beautifully decorated ballroom, full of pubescent teenagers trying not to embarrass themselves. A couple instructors were there to oversee things, but for the most part they left the kids to their own devices. Cain held the door open for Matthew and welcomed his 'date' inside; the lights were dimmed and the music was loud. He couldn't help but laugh when the other teen gave him a look that basically said  _ now what _ ?, and he practically dragged Matthew out towards the floor. "Now," he grinned, "you grab whoever's closest and start dancing!" For him, that happened to be Abel and Palla, a pair that was making their way through the center.

Cain cut in between them and stole Abel away; Palla laughed and allowed him, giving Abel a quick kiss on the cheek before finding a new partner. "Would you like to dance?" She smiled at Matthew and extended her hand.

Matthew wasn't a big fan of the many people and the loud music, and he was hoping he could just silently stick close to Cain through the night, but that wasn't how it was going to happen, it seemed. Next thing he knew, Cain had dragged him towards the dancefloor and left him there to find a new partner. If Palla hadn't offered, Matthew didn't think he'd even find another. He managed a smile at her, nodding his head. "It'd be my honor, though, I'd watch your feet if I were you." With that, he took her hand and was whisked deeper into the dancing crowd.

Palla laughed as Matthew took her hand, and led him further into the crowd before they began. The music was upbeat and lively, and the dancing matched. Cain had switched partners again, and was now dancing with Norne; her pink hair was put up in a loose bun, and her face lit up when she smiled. It was a surprise that Draug had let her go long enough to dance with someone else, and he watched her from afar with infatuated smiles as he sipped on a drink.

Palla twirled as she danced with Matthew, her long green hair looking as soft as silk. She giggled lightly as she moved, enjoying herself, but nevertheless the pair was cut in by a third face. It was Oujay, and he stole Matthew away from Palla; she laughed and bid him goodbye, off to find another partner. "Matthew, you made it!" Oujay smiled. "I didn't think you'd come."

Matthew allowed himself to dance around, finding the dancing to be fun. Surprisingly, he started to enjoy himself and laughed softly as he continued to move with Palla. Upon trading off to Oujay, however, a familiar smile appeared on his face. "Hey!" He greeted with a smile as they started dancing. "Honestly? I can't believe I'm here either."

Oujay laughed as he danced with Matthew. "Did I see you walking in with  _ you know who _ ?" He winked. He seemed much more open and talkative than his usual reserved self; the dance was a nice place to let loose. "A word of advice... You may want to find him again. They'll be playing the slow music soon." With a grin, he let go of Matthew; Gwendolyn had appeared nearby and she snatched Oujay up as her own partner, to which he went willingly.

Meanwhile, Norne had migrated her way back to Draug, and Abel back to Palla. For the moment, it seemed Cain was without a partner...

Matthew didn't have time to reply to his friend, only giving a scoff as he watched his friend be snatched off. How did everyone know him so well? It was embarrassing. He spotted the redhead, alone in a group of dancers, and he made his way over to the other, smiling to himself. Once he got close to the other, he reached out and gave Cain a light punch in the shoulder. "That's for throwing me in without warning."

Cain was looking around, trying to find someone he hadn't already danced with, when he felt a punch on his shoulder. He turned around, and there was Matthew-- come to think of it, there  _ was  _ someone he hadn't danced with yet, and it was the person he'd come with in the first place. He grinned as he grabbed Matthew and began to move. "Heh, sorry," he laughed, not looking the least bit sorry. "You're having fun though, right?" For now, the music was still upbeat, but the current song was coming to a close.

"For a dance I wasn't even planning to come to, I am, surprisingly, having a good time," he replied with a soft laugh as he was able to finally get a dance with Cain. "Even if I don't even know some of my dance partners." They moved to the upbeat music, having fun with it until it ended. He managed a smile. "You mind having another dance with me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Cain grinned and nodded, more than happy to continue dancing with Matthew. He waited for the next song to start, and when it did, his eyes widened a bit; there was always a portion of the dance where a few slower songs were played, and he hadn't kept track of the time; it looked like he'd be slow dancing with Matthew or sitting this one out. Well... He offered a smile as he put a hand on Matthew's waist. The other teen wasn't bad looking... Maybe it would be fun.

The only reason Matthew knew it was a slow song was because of Oujay; he would have been as surprised as Cain otherwise. He held his breath as the first notes of the song played. A part of him doubted Cain would want to dance to a slow song with him, so he was a bit surprised to feel the other place a hand on his waist. Blushing lightly and managing a smile, he put one hand on the redhead's shoulder as he moved a bit closer to the other. It was about the closest they have ever been; well, when they weren't swinging swords at each other. As the two started dancing, Matthew found that he almost couldn't keep his gaze away from his partner, and he only managed to do so by forcefully tearing his eyes away.

Cain looked down at Matthew with a smile that made creases in his rounded cheeks. "What's the matter?" He chuckled as Matthew looked away, and he lifted his hand to turn the other teen's chin back towards him. "Is there something on my face?" He swayed lightly in place, in rhythm with Matthew. For all his worry, it seemed Matthew was a pretty good dancer after all... and had his eyes always been such a lovely shade of brown? Cain hadn't noticed until the light flashed over them, illuminating Matthew's face in his view.

From over Cain's shoulder, Oujay was still dancing with Gwendolyn, but he kept an eye on Matthew and Cain. When he caught Matthew's eye, he grinned and gave a thumbs up, as if to say  _ go for it _ !

Matthew  _ had  _ seen Oujay giving him a thumbs up from across the room, but could only manage a small huff before his attention went back to Cain. When his chin was tilted back up towards the other, he had simply started staring again, managing a low chuckle. "No, no... I've just... Never done this before is all," he replied back. Whereas Cain was just now noticing Matthew's lovely hazel eyes, the teen had already happily taken in all of Cain's features. The smile that created adorable outlines on his face, his red eyes that looked back at him... Yes, Matthew was way ahead indeed. "Cain?" he murmured out suddenly. "Can I tell you something?"

Cain held Matthew's hand in one of his, and had his other on Matthew's waist. He led the dance, stepping slowly and patiently as his partner followed suit. The soft music echoed in the room, but he could still hear Matthew's voice; had it always been so gentle? His hands, so soft? His lips, so pink? Cain found himself staring, but he blinked and looked up to the teen's eyes when Matthew spoke. "Hm...? Of course," he said with a smile. "You know you can tell me anything."

Matthew managed a smile as well as they continued to move in rhythm. He then went quiet for a moment, looking a bit troubled as he fumbled with what to say. This was all very new to him, until he finally took a deep breath. "Well, the truth is... You were the one I wanted to ask to the dance, not some girl," he said as his eyes averted.

Cain tilted his head to the side, his red eyes curious. "Me? But... we  _ did  _ come to the dance together." He didn't seem to be following what Matthew was trying to tell him. It didn't help that he was getting more and more distracted as he noticed their close proximity.

"No, I meant..." he sighed out. Why was it so hard to speak to Cain, when it was so easy to earlier? He went quiet for a moment more before finally clearing his throat. "I meant... that I really like you.  _ Like  _ like." He spoke quietly, face fully flustered.

"I like you too," Cain said simply, but then... Matthew clarified. Cain's cheeks suddenly felt warm. "Oh.  _ Oh _ ." He stopped moving, but he didn't let go of Matthew. The music was still echoing in the room, but even that faded away along with the presence of everyone else; for the moment, it seemed he was in his own little world with Matthew. He hadn't realized it before, but hearing the other teen say it, he understood. He liked Matthew too. Liked liked him. He didn't know what to say, but... He'd always been more of a man of action, anyway. Slowly, he started to lean in, and he tilted his head while his eyes started to flutter closed; a moment later, he'd pressed his lips against Matthew's.

Matthew looked a bit worried when Cain stopped dancing, averting his gaze once more. The teen had started to pull away from the other, not wanting to ruin the night for Cain- or even the dance. He began to say something before the redhead had leaned in, getting closer... and their lips touched. Matthew froze up, taking a moment  to process the redhead's warm lips up against his own, the fact everything seemed to go dark except for both him and Cain. Soon, his muscles relaxed and he leaned forward, enjoying the kiss he never thought he'd get. The moment seemed to last forever before Cain finally pulled away, and Matthew let out a short breath, the feeling of warmth against his lips still there. "Cain..." He gasped out softly.

Cain held the kiss for a few moments longer before pulling away; his cheeks were a bit flushed as well, though it was hard to tell in the dim light. His hold on Matthew was gentle, but still strong enough to keep the other from pulling out of his grasp. When his eyes fluttered open again, he smiled, and let out a soft chuckle. "Heh... I knew there was something special about you."

Matthew let out a soft chuckle as he looked up at Cain, an expression of gushy love on his face. "Special? I'm not sure about that..." He muttered, suddenly aware that the music was still playing around them. The teen took one step closer to Cain. "We still have time to get in more dancing..."

Cain grinned, and then he leaned in for another kiss; this one was quicker, and much more comfortable than the first. "Of course we do," he laughed, starting to move again. "That's what we're here for!" It seemed the slow music had ended, and the band was picking up again with the lively songs; Cain was more than happy to stick with one partner for the rest of the night.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

A fresh dusting of snow had settled on the ground, covering up the footprints that the three teens had made on their walk through the town. It was later in the afternoon, but the gray cloud-covered sky made it appear darker than it actually was. Cain had brushed some snow off of a stone wall and hopped up to sit on it; like a gentleman, he also brushed off a spot for Matthew. At Abel, he chucked a handful of snow; the green-haired teen returned the favor, and now both of them had white flakes all in their hair.

A fresh dusting of snow had settled on the ground, covering up the footprints that the three teens had made on their walk through the town. It was later in the afternoon, but the gray cloud-covered sky made it appear darker than it actually was. Cain had brushed some snow off of a stone wall and hopped up to sit on it; like a gentleman, he also brushed off a spot for Matthew. At Abel, he chucked a handful of snow; the green-haired teen returned the favor, and now both of them had white flakes all in their hair. Cain didn't mind sitting in between Matthew and Abel; he was a bit chilly, what with Matthew borrowing his favorite coat again . It was long past the bustling time of the market, and now there was barely a soul outside. "What I wouldn't give for a hot cup of cocoa..." Cain rubbed his hands together and breathed on them; his warm breath made a cloud of steam as it left his lips.

  
"What's the matter? Got a chill?" Abel teased; his cheeks were red too, but the green-haired teen enjoyed being out in the cold. Well, there was also the fact that he had on a fluffy, cozy scarf.

Matthew also seemed pretty cozy; buried under his lover's large coat, the hood up and almost covering his face. He snickered lightly at how so obviously Cain was cold; no matter what the other said, Matthew had offered to give it back to him before they went out earlier that day. Nevertheless, he greatly enjoyed their time spent together; it felt nice to hang around Cain and his friend. It was tragic Oujay was top busy to join them. He leaned forward on the stone wall. "You know, Cain, we can always head back if you're too cold." It was a mixture of both teasing and concern.

"Psh," Cain scoffed as he rolled his eyes, though he was shivering slightly. "I'm fine ." He stuck out his tongue at both Matthew and Abel. He reached down and scooped up a handful of snow, then snagged on the back of Abel's scarf to pull it away from the other's neck where he then dumped the snow.

  
"Hey!" Abel tried not to squeal in surprise from the sudden coldness, but he jumped up off the wall and yanked his scarf off; the snow spilled out with it. "You asshole!" He whacked Cain with his scarf, and the redhead laughed. "Now we have to go back or I'll freeze to death, and then you'll be the one stuck carrying me." He made a face, but there was laughter in his bright eyes. He slung the scarf over his shoulder; it was a bit damp from the snow, and wouldn't help much back around his neck.

Matthew laughed out as he saw the two messing around in the snow. At least their friendship seemed to be strong. "Hm. I should have taken bets with everyone on which of you would get frozen first," he said lightly. He was cold as well, even while he was buried in the redhead's coat; he was very sensitive to the cold temperature, and he shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of Cain's coat. "Let’s go before one of you gets buried in the snow. Roland knows I won't be digging you out."

"Ha! You'll be the one dragging both of us back," Cain teased Matthew; this earned him another whap from Abel's scarf. The green-haired teen had wrapped it partially around his neck-- the part that wasn't damp from snow. Cain waved him off with a grin. They started to walk; Cain stayed next to Matthew, with Abel a bit behind them. "I'm ready to get back and sit in front of the fire."

Matthew managed a small smile at Cain. "Nah. I'm not really a heavy lifting kinda guy," he replied back with an amused hum as they started to walk.

  
"Definitely. That sounds-- gaah!" Abel's agreement turned into a tight, choked noise; his hands flew up to grab at his scarf. He turned, thinking it had gotten caught on something; what he hadn't expected that 'something' to be was a hand . A tall, robust man had a fistful of Abel's scarf and had yanked on it, pulling him backwards. "Hey!" Abel tried to pull it away, but the man only seemed amused and tugged again, tightening it around Abel's neck.

  
The man-- who had to at least be in his forties-- wasn't alone; two others were with him. "You kiddies can enjoy that fire... right after you empty your pockets." He sneered, showing yellow teeth.

  
For a moment, Matthew thought nothing of Abel's short cry; perhaps the other had slipped on some ice or tripped over the snow. It wasn't until he heard a different voice that he stopped and turned slowly, only to see three older men behind them, one who held Abel by the scarf. If Matthew's blood wasn't frozen then it was now, and he could only gape at the three older men behind them.

"Hey, back off!" Cain, hotheaded as ever, closed the distance between himself and the three men to stand by Abel's side. None of them had brought weapons, but that didn't stop the redhead from being aggressive.

  
"You heard me, brat. Hand over every coin you've got and I'll consider not beating you within an inch of your life." The man was getting annoyed, and he yanked Abel closer. The green-haired teen was struggling viciously, but couldn't break free; he gasped as the scarf was yanked tighter around his neck, practically choking him.

  
Cain had a temper, but there were precious few things that made him angrier than someone who hurt his friends. "Let _go_!" He lashed out and struck the older man with a vicious punch straight to the jaw.

It was a split second decision for Matthew to make; three half-trained (himself probably being only quarter trained) knights who were unarmed against three burly, older men that had one of them held hostage. This was not a fight they would win, but knowing Cain, he'd try. As Cain threw the first punch, he decided on his answer. The three men were advancing. He quickly ducked out of the way of one of the men that reached for him, and, with all sense of his dignity being left behind, he turned tail. Like a filthy, filthy coward, he ran, leaving behind the one he loved most and his dear friend. He ran so fast his feet practically glided over the snow. Matthew ran and never, not once, looked back.

The man grunted as Cain punched him; in surprise, he loosened his hold, and Abel wrenched away. He didn't get far before the second man grabbed him and started to pull at his coat, practically ripping it off so he could dig through the pockets.

  
The first man still wanted money, but now, it was more than that-- he wanted to teach these brats a lesson . "Why you--" He reached for Cain, but the redhead nimbly ducked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement, and he turned to look. Was that.. Matthew? Running ? Cain didn't even have time to fully understand what the other teen was doing; the man took advantage of his momentary lapse of attention and lashed out with a punch so hard it sent him sprawling to the ground in the snow. He didn't stay there long, and was immediately back on his feet ready to get back to it.

Abel wasn't entirely helpless, either; he was a knight in training as well, at the top of his own class. Still, a trainee with no weapon couldn't overpower a grown man in regards to brute strength, so he had to rely on his speed to duck and dodge. Just as he leapt to the side, the third man grabbed him, and he cried out-- he hadn't seen Matthew run, but now realized they were outnumbered. While one man pinned his arms behind his back, another struck Abel harshly across the cheek; the green-haired teen grunted in pain as a bit of red liquid flew from his mouth, contrasting drastically with the pure white snow.

  
"Hey! Stop!" Cain's voice hitched as he saw Abel getting struck, and he lunged forward-- only to be snatched back by the man who had threatened them first. He wrenched himself free, but again, was grabbed from the back; this time, the grip was stronger, and he couldn't pull away. The man yanked him back by the arm and spun him around, then jammed his knee into Cain's stomach; the redhead gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. It was now that the man took the opportunity to tear Cain's coat off of him too, tossing it to the side; he'd rummage through it for money later.

  
The cold air stung Cain's bare skin, but it didn't stop him from still trying to get to Abel. He jumped forward again, but still couldn't escape the man's grasp; the older man twisted his arm behind his back roughly, and Cain yelped in pain. He struggled and pulled, but he wasn't able to break free. He wasn't strong enough to break free. He wasn't strong enough to help Abel. He wasn't strong enough to help Marth. "Let go!" He yelled, twisting violently, but the man only laughed, and Cain felt growing panic and a surge of anger--and fear-- every time he heard the raw thudding sound of a fist smacking against Abel.

Their quarrel was interrupted by the loud thudding of a group of horses quickly approaching; by the sound of it, there was at least a small group. At the head of the charge rode none other than Oswin; though not a paladin by nature, he was still adept at horse riding. Trusty silver lance by his side, he was a terrifying sight; it was a smart move for the offenders to take off at the sight of him. Oswin had come with two other knights, and, watching the three men take off, he only scoffed and ordered them to follow and arrest those men. He turned his horse to look at the two trainees on the ground. There was a number of lectures he could give for this: a knight had to always be vigilant, to always be on guard, to have a small weapon... but from the bruised and bloody faces of both teenagers, even he could tell they had learned their lesson. Hopping off his horse, he looked at them. "Come on, you two. We have to get you to a medic."

Even with the freezing cold beating against his skin, Cain felt a fresh shiver as heard the familiar sound of horse hooves stamping their way through the snow. The very moment he was released, he dashed over to Abel, who'd gotten quite the beating; his handsome face was bruised and bloodied, swollen from the hits. "Abel... Are you okay?" Cain knelt down to help the green-haired teen sit up. Abel slowly nodded; it hurt, but he'd be okay. He was relieved beyond measure that Oswin had appeared; being beaten to death in the snow wasn't his ideal way to go.

  
Seeing that Abel was alright, Cain's worry faded... and it turned into anger. Frustration. With himself, with those men, with Oswin, with Matthew... What had happened ? He could have handled it. If Oswin hadn't shown up, he could've broken free and helped Abel. He was sure of it. "Why did you come?" He snapped at Oswin unwisely, blinded by his frustration. "I was taking care of it! We were fine!"

Oswin had seen many trainees and had come from many battles in his day, so he understood Cain's frustration. One of the worst things was feeling helpless as you and a comrade were overwhelmed; it had happened to him a few times in his years. Nevertheless, he stood in his place. "Would you rather I have not come and let you both be pummeled to death?!" He boomed back strongly as he made his way over to Abel, who looked like he needed the most help. "You're lucky you had a friend who was in his senses enough to come for backup, or you'd both be dead out here! Now, you can come back with me, or wallow out here in the cold. Your choice."

Cain forced himself not recoil at Oswin's booming, intimidating voice. He didn't realize he was breathing so heavily until he caught sight of the puffs of steam coming from his mouth. He backed away from Abel, letting Oswin help him instead, and his gaze flickered to Matthew. Matthew. Matthew was the one who had gone to get Oswin-- run away to go get Oswin. There was a multitude of emotions on his face; anger, betrayal, disgust... He looked away, not able to stomach it. "No one was going to die," he insisted in a voice that didn't quite sound like his own. "I could have handled it. I- I-" he stammered, and took a step backwards. He couldn't have done it. Abel could have gotten seriously hurt, and it would have been his fault-- his fault, for not being skilled enough, not strong enough, to protect him. "Fine! Go back on your own!" Cain snapped, and turned on his heels. He didn't even stop to pick up his ripped jacket; he ran off, getting faster as he went, mostly because he didn't want anyone to stop him and see that a tear had started to spill over and run down his cheek.

Matthew, who was sitting on the back of Oswin's noble horse, caught sight of Cain's ugly glance at him, and he only lowered his head in shame. He already felt awful, like a dirty traitor for turning tail and running at the first sight of trouble, but it was all he could think to do. He'd have been a burden if he stayed. A part of him hoped Cain would at least be a little thankful when help arrived. When the other ran off, however, Matthew called his name, and started to move off the horse before Oswin stopped him.

  
"Let him go," Oswin said, his eyes full of a understanding and sadness as he watched the redhead take off. "He needs some time alone. For some people, it's hard to come to terms with knowing you're not invincible, and you can't prevent everything. He'll come back frozen half to death, but he'll come back."

  
Matthew could only hope he was right.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Matthew swallowed his shame as he visited with Abel that evening. Though he knew he had done the right thing, seeing how Cain looked at him made it all feel wrong. Still, he was glad to see they were both fine. Bruised and bloody, but not unconscious and dying. That was a start.  
Since Cain hadn't returned yet, Matthew sat by Abel in the medic room. The teen's face looked badly beaten, but better than it had. "How're you feeling?"

Abel was sitting up in bed, attempting to read a novel, but it was a bit hard with his cheek all swollen and throbbing. The clerics were able to dull most of the pain, but it would take awhile longer for the subcutaneous bruises to heal. He glanced up as Matthew arrived, and managed a small smile. Even with swollen cheeks, he still had a deep dimple. "I've seen better days," he admitted, putting the book down. "I'll be alright. I can take a hit or two, you know."

Matthew managed a small smile as well, though his was a bit more forced. "Yeah, well, it looked like a lot more than one or two hits." His attempt at a joke. "I was pretty worried. Those guys could have easily done something much worse to you two. Sorry today turned out to be such a bust."

Abel waved it off, and his gentle smile became a bit more genuine; he appreciated Matthew trying to cheer him up. "We'll both be alright. I heal quickly, and as for Cain... Well, I think his pride is more wounded than his body." The smile slowly started to fade from his face. Cain was known to be hot headed, but to snap at the commander of the knights... This was something more. A situation like this was all too familiar, though the last one had had a much more tragic ending… The calm expression on his face faltered for just a moment.

Matthew frowned as well when Cain was mentioned; he still couldn't get the image of the redhead glaring at him out of his head. It only made him feel worse. "Yeah, I guess so..." It wasn't really a secret that Matthew was the lowest of his class. It wasn't something he liked to admit, but he knew it was true. "I'm not... The best at being in any type of fight. The only thing I could think to do was run and get help."

"Well... Take it from me, I'm glad you did." Abel smiled at Matthew. "I know Cain is too, though he'd never admit it. " He went quiet, and rubbed at a sore spot on his cheek. "I hope he comes back soon, that stubborn oaf..." His soft expression contradicted his scolding words; clearly he was more worried than annoyed. He sighed, then lifted his green gaze to look back at Matthew. "... Did Cain ever tell you why we joined the knights?"

Matthew could only slowly nod at Cain's words, falling silent as well for a time. He remembered what Oswin had said. He'll come back half frozen to death, but he'll come back. There wasn't much someone like Matthew could do except wait, so for now, he put his trust in the redhead. He blinked when Abel asked a question. "Hm...? No, no he didn't."

Abel didn't answer right away; he was still trying to decide whether or not it was his place to tell. For as close as they had gotten, Matthew had a right to know, and he doubted that Cain would ever explain it on his own. "Back in Altea, when we were younger, we were close with another kid-- Cain especially so. One winter, we were attacked by a couple of thieves... and our friend was killed." Abel looked away as he recalled the memory. "Cain's always blamed himself for not being strong enough to save him. It hit him hard, and he swore that day to never stop training until he could protect those he loved without fail. Years and years later... Well, you know Cain." Abel managed a small smile. "He never breaks a promise."

Matthew frowned as he quietly listened to Abel's story. "Oh... I see. I'm... sorry to hear that." He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to it; how could you comfort someone who lost a close friend? Still, he was glad Abel told him. It made sense why Cain reacted the way he did, and he could only imagine how much it hurt for the redhead to almost go through that a second time. "I hope he comes back soon..."

"Yes... What happened today was eerily similar. I think it re-opened an old wound." Abel shook his head. "Then with Oswin showing up, our instructor got to see his star pupils getting beat up... Cain hates feeling vulnerable. I'll admit, it didn't sit well with me either, but... I'll take a bit of embarrassment over getting beaten to death any day." He sighed and leaned back against the headrest, still gently rubbing his cheek. As Matthew spoke quietly, a small smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "He won't last long out there without a jacket. If I had to make a guess, he probably came back a while ago... Have you checked the weight room?"

"The... weight room?" Matthew echoed back, a bit dumbfounded. No, if course he hadn't checked the weight room, it was probably the last place he would have checked to find someone who didn't want to be found. Then again... Cain might have been fighting his worries away against some opponent. "To be honest, the first thing I thought he'd do when he came back was check on you," he said with a soft sigh, though he got out of his seat. "But... I'll go look for him," he gave a small smile to Abel as if to say 'thank you' before he got up to leave.   
...   
Matthew wasn't the best at comforting people, especially when the other could still be a bit upset that he had gotten Oswin, but he opted to try. He grabbed a glass of cold water before he made his way over to the weight room; it was at least a start. Sure enough, as if Abel predicted it, the redhead was in there, taking out his frustrations on the poor sandbag. He took a small breath before be moved closer, gently tapping his hand on the wall in a knocking motion so the redhead knew he was there. Matthew offered a smile. "Hey."

"Augh!" Cain yelled in frustration as he beat the shit out of a punching bag that would probably never recover from this 'training' session. Breathing heavily, he wiped the sweat from his brow; if only he'd been able to do this to their attackers earlier, instead of being caught off guard... "Ugh!" The thought made him throw another punch that sent the sandbag twirling violently in the air. He was so angry at himself... The sound of someone knocking didn't even phase him; whoever it was would have to wait their damn turn for the weight room. Once he heard the voice, however, he realized who it was that had joined him. He still didn't turn around, and had his back to the door. "Why did you run away?" He accused. " Why did you bring Oswin!?"

Matthew was a bit thrown off guard by how Cain snapped at him almost immediately; he had only said one word. It wasn't quite the reaction he was hoping for, but he sighed out softly. "Cain, you knew I'd be of absolutely no help in an actual battle. I wanted to help, so I fetched someone that could." He muttered out quietly as he made his way into the weight room. He set the glass of water down on a table. "I brought you a drink."

"I could have handled it," Cain said defensively, spinning on his heels to look at Matthew. His red eyes were a bit glassy, as if he'd been crying a little. He knew the words were a lie, and they left a bad taste in his mouth. He hated that Matthew was completely right. "I... I'm sorry. I know you're right. If you hadn't gotten Oswin..." He pulled out a chair to sit at the table Matthew had set the drink on, but didn't touch it; instead, he hid his face in his hands. "I couldn't save him. I couldn't save Marth." It was clear then that Abel had been right about the real issue; Cain was still beating himself up over the loss of his dear friend.

The teen heaved out a sigh as the other murmured out his last comment. He only looked at the other sadly for a moment, quietly, as all words left his mind until finally he moved over to place a hand on Cain's shoulder. "I know whatever I say you've probably heard before, but... It wasn't your fault, you know. Today, that day... It didn't happen solely because of you." He slowly massaged Cain's shoulder in an attempt to calm the other as he spoke. "I can't erase what happened; nobody can. But... you don't have to take on the burden alone. You have teammates, people to fight next to to help you get stronger, if you'd just let them."

Cain shifted slightly as he felt Matthew's hand on his shoulder, but he didn't pull away. "Abel told you, huh?" His voice was calmer, and he sighed. Even just Matthew's presence was enough to help calm him down, but the comforting words seemed to be slowly sinking in too. "I... I just... I hate asking for help," he finally admitted, lowering his hands so he could look at the other teen. Cain was extremely prideful, and it shamed him when he couldn't handle something on his own. "I know you did the right thing, so... thank you."

Matthew finally managed a smile; this time, it was genuine. "To be fair, I gave you help even when you didn't ask for it," he said lightly in an attempt to cheer the other up. "But, don't worry about it. Above everything else, we're close friends. That's what they do for each other." He bent down a bit so he was eye-level with the sitting redhead.

It seemed like Matthew's smile was contagious; the ghost of a smile pulled at the corner of Cain's lips, and when the other teen knelt down to be eye-level, he leaned in for a quick kiss. "Thanks, snowbunny." His heart still ached from old wounds, but with Matthew there, the pain was dulled. He started to stand up, and then suddenly his eyes widened and he made a face, as though he'd just remembered something important. "Oh, Gods... I should probably go apologize to Oswin before he makes me runs laps until I drop."

Matthew laughed at Cain's remark. "While you're at it, you should stop and see Abel as well. We were both worried about you, you know. It was his idea for me to come look for you here." After all that had happened, it really was a relief to see Cain feeling a bit better emotionally.

"Heh... Abel, that old cat. He's tougher than he looks." Cain smiled, but he'd definitely be by to check on the green-haired teen later. He seemed a bit embarrassed when Matthew said he was worried, and Cain rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, well... I'm glad he did." The redhead reached out and pulled Matthew into a tight hug.

Matthew smiled softly. "I'm glad he did too," the teen said in a quiet manner as he returned Cain's tight embrace. Once the other pulled away, the teen made an over exaggerated face. "Before you do, though... you should clean up a bit."


	10. Chap 10

**Chapter 10**   
As the classes started to begin up again, Matthew received a letter from Oswin, saying they needed to meet and discuss something of importance. The teen had a feeling that this was it, this was his one way ticket back to Caelin, and for that, he hid the letter. The last thing he wanted to do was have Cain worry about him as the day approached when Matthew was to meet with Oswin. Slowly, he made his way to the knight's office, lightly knocking on the door until he heard a faint 'come in.' Taking a deep breath before entering, the teen pushed open the door and let it close behind him until he was alone with the knight. "You... wanted to see me, sir?" He asked as he took a seat.

Oswin glanced up as he heard the knock on the door, and called for Matthew to enter. He wasn't looking forward to this... With a sigh, he gestured for the teen to have a seat. "Indeed, I did. I need to speak with you about your performance on the final physical examination." It was clear during the actual trial that Matthew struggled, but Oswin hadn't finished compiling his performance notes until recently. Before the next semester started... well, he didn't want anyone's time wasted.

"...Oh." A part of him had been hoping that that wasn't what this conversation would be about, and he felt a bit of fear prick up in his chest. Well, better to get it over with... "What about it, sir?" He knew he did awful on it, Oswin didn't even need to tell him.

"Well..." Oswin sighed. Time to get straight to the point. "Long story short, you failed. To be quite honest with you, I'm impressed by your determination, and I know you've put in the work. This life just isn't cut out for you, lad." He seemed disappointed; he knew Matthew worked hard, but somehow the knight training just wasn't proving a good fit. "I'm afraid we'll have to withdraw you from the course."

Ouch. Even though he was expecting it, it still hurt.  Matthew frowned as Oswin continued speaking, and he couldn't help feeling at least a little bit of a failure; was all the time he spent training with both Oswin and Cain all for nothing? He slumped back a bit on his chair. Now what was he supposed to do? "...Yes, sir."

Oswin's usual stone-hard expression softened a bit as he saw Matthew recoil in his seat. "You'll have a week to pack your things and make arrangements to return home." He started to stand, and gestured for Matthew to do so as well. As he opened the door for the teen, he reached out and put a hand on Matthew's shoulder, then offered an incredibly rare smile. "If nothing else, be proud of yourself for pushing through to the end. You didn't quit, and that takes guts, kid."

Matthew slowly nodded his head. His arms felt like mush as he forced himself to stand up out of his seat and turn to exit the room. At Oswin's last words, Matthew returned the smile;he didn't want to say that the only reason he hadn't given up was because of Cain. "Thank you." He said with a nod of his head as he left the room. Taking a deep breath, Matthew hung his head as he walked through the hallways back to his room. Before getting there, he turned on his heels and walked past the weight room, searching for one specific person; if anyone needed an update, it was probably Cain. He felt a little relieved Cain was in there; he didn't feel like wandering the whole castle. "Hey." He greeted the other, though it was far from his usual cheery tone.

Unlike the previous time in the weight room the other day, Cain was having a normal workout instead of a frustration-fueled beatdown session on the punching bag. He was just about to stop for a break when Matthew wandered in, and Cain greeted the other teen with a smile. "Hey," he responded, pulling out a chair and sitting his tired body down in it. After a moment, he noticed the way Matthew seemed to be looking down and dragging his feet; his 'hello' hadn't been too cheery, either. "What's wrong?"

Matthew only offered him a sad-looking smile as the other sat down. How was he even supposed to tell Cain that he was being kicked out? Surely the other had though it was going to happen, but now that it actually was, it seemed odd. "Well..."  He started speaking, letting out a breath. "I'm going to Caelin."

"What!? Why?" Cain's brow furrowed and he leaned forward in his chair. Even though he asked the question, he knew the answer; both of them had already talked about the possibility. He frowned, and shook his head. "Did you talk to Oswin?"

"Yeah, I just got done talking to Oswin. He said I have a week to pack and get a horse carriage." Matthew sighed. He hadn't really enjoyed the journey up here from Caelin. He had hoped he wouldn't make the jouthey back, but... "I guess this is it then, huh?"

"I see..." Cain murmured, trying to think of some way around this. "A week left, huh?" He lifted his gaze so his red eyes met with Matthew's brown ones. "That means we've got a week to figure out how to get you to stay. Maybe not as a knight, but anyone can see you've got talent, and definitely speed. Oswin won't let that just go to waste." Cain seemed to firmly believe that.

Despite how hopeless the situation seemed, Matthew couldn't help but smile as Cain praised him about his speed. "Thanks, but, haven't we already looked? It doesn't look like there's an opening for anything in the castle, and Oswin didn't give me any suggestions. He basically just told me to go home."

"We didn't look hard enough." Cain was determined, and he clenched his hand into a fist. "You just keep that cute smile on your face, snowbunny. We'll find something, I'm sure of it." If Cain had to go talk to Oswin himself, he would. Not just because he desperately wanted Matthew to stay for his own reasons, but because he knew the talent Matthew had; he'd seen it first hand.

"Heh... It's hard not to keep it when you keep saying stuff like that." It was true, Matthew did feel a little better. It felt like they had checked everywhere- and they probably did, but nothing needed the skills Matthew possessed. He could run kinda fast and subconsciously snuck around.. It wasn't like he could get paid for scaring people all day.

...   
They only had three days left. Cain had searched and searched, asking questions to everyone he saw to try and help Matthew find a spot. None of the other lead knights had room in their classes for someone so far behind. It was starting to look like a lost cause after all, but Cain refused to give up; he'd never been one to quit easily. Today was supposed to be a day of rest so his worn muscles could recover, but he was feeling restless and decided to walk around the castle. He'd wandered out to the courtyard; it was an overcast and rather chilly day, so there wasn't another soul outside except for him. As he walked, he kicked a rock on the ground, but he accidentally kicked it too far and it sailed into the bushes. He groaned and knelt down to find it, but as he was digging through the shrubs, he heard a voice.   
" _ Faster _ !" The voice demanded, so harshly that Cain popped his head over the bush in surprise to see who was talking. It was a man who he'd never seen before, training what looked like a class of one student.   
"Y-yes sir!" A tired-sounding but determined female voice came next; Cain couldn't even tell where it was coming from, until she suddenly appeared from the shadows, startling him. He kept quiet, interested.   
"Your skill is nothing without the speed to use it. Again!" Just like that, the girl seemed to practically vanish before Cain's eyes; he watched in awe, trying to track her movements.

A man, who seemed to be about the same age of Oswin, stood there as he carefully observed the young female's movements. Despite how quick she moved, he watched her with a careful eye, even smirking. "Atta girl," he said, taking a few steps forward in the snow. Behind him, a purple cloak gently moved with the cold breeze. As Cain's focus was on Leila, Legault moved silently over to him, yanking him up by the back of his shirt. "And what are you doing here? Ain't you one of Oswin's newbies?"

Cain was totally entranced by Leila's movements; he didn't even notice the disappearance of the man until he felt someone yanking him up by his shirt. He yelped in surprise and thrust backwards with his elbow harshly, much like he'd done when Matthew had startled him. The older man was much more trained, and easily bent to avoid it. Cain wrenched free of the grasp and huffed as he smoothed his shirt, trying to will away the redness of his face. "I'm not a newbie . I"m Oswin's top student," he boasted with a snarky lift of his chin. He turned around to look back at the courtyard where Leila had been a moment earlier. It wasn't surprising that he didn't know all the faculty, but he thought he knew every one of the students, so it was strange that Leila was unfamiliar to him. "But who is-- Huh? Where'd she go?"

Legault only smirked once more. This type of training wasn't for the public, and especially not curious teenage eyes. The man nodded his head, and, almost on cue, Cain had another tap on his shoulder from the behind; it didn't look like his elbow jab would hit anything today.   
Behind him ended up being the female, dressed in a similar outfit to Legault. She was panting slightly from the quick movements, her breath showing in the wind. She put one hand on her hip. "I'm me," she said.   
Legault snickered. "Alright then, 'Oswin's Top Student,' meet my top student."

"Gah!" Cain lashed out again, but once more, the spy in training was too quick. He huffed and looked over his shoulder at the smirking female. "Your top student?" He turned back to Legault. "Looks like your only student. What kind of training is this, anyway?" He seemed suspicious.

"Yes. I quite prefer small classes; I'm not running a babysitting business. I'm not sure how Oswin does it," Legault replied back with a fold of his arms.   
When Cain asked what they were doing, Leila only scoffed defensively. Spy training wasn't to be revealed to anyone. "It's none of your business. What are you doing here, anyway?"   
Legault put up a hand. "Now, now. No need to be rude." He looked back down at Cain. "There's nothing for you to worry your little head about. It's all legal. Uther's a good friend of mine, see?" He offered a smile. "We're the type of people who are always saving your asses. Can't have an army without us.

"Hmph." Cain snorted, and he glanced over his shoulder to stick his tongue out at Leila. "Yeah? Well I think a front-line cavalier deserves to know what you're doing sneaking around out here, if it's so important to the army." As he tried to figure out what the two were doing, the beginnings of an idea were shaping in his head. Speed, stealth... He knew someone with those qualities. He was quite close to someone with excellence in those qualities.

"Ha!" Legault laughed out. "A front line cavalier? You're not even done with your training yet, and you're saying that to me?" His eyes flickered with amusement. "Don't worry, kid. When you're big and strong and out saving the world, then you get to know who I am. For now, go back to your training and continue growing." He waved Leila over towards him. "If you'll excuse us, we have work to do."

Cain scowled as Legault laughed at him. "Work doing what ?" It was clear he wasn't going to give up easy. "You've only got one student... What are you training for?" He eyed the instructor, as well as the younger girl. Cloaks and daggers... 'It's all legal', Legault had said, but was it? Was this girl training to be... an assassin of some sort? As much as Cain hated to admit it... that was actually pretty cool.

It was about this time Legault was becoming tired of Cain's questions. "I see you failed Oswin's lesson on respecting more experienced allies. Or did he not teach it? Are you training to be a knight or a detective?" He motioned for Leila to follow him, before turning away from the redhead.

"Now wait a minute," Cain insisted, following after the two as they started to walk away. "You didn't even tell me your name ." They walked quickly, but Cain had long strides that helped him keep up. "How do you plan to succeed with only one student? I know someone speedy." He'd heard Legault scolding Leila for not being fast enough, so clearly that was important.

Legault knew he could lose Cain quite easily, though he decided to put up with it a little longer before trying. He didn't particularly feel like making an attempt to lose the redhead. "Kid, I'm not Oswin. I don't need a hundred kids to take over my legacy," he replied back, not even looking back at Cain. He didn't even look back when Cain mentioned he knew someone. "Oh, you do? Good for you."

"I didn't say a hundred kids," Cain pointed out, still trailing behind the two. "Just one. Don't you even want to know who?" Maybe this could be Matthew's chance, Cain thought. He'd been startled by the teen multiple times, and he wasn't the only one; it seemed as though Matthew was stealthy without even trying, and Gods knew he was fast. This seemed perfect. "What are you guys, assassins or something? Trying to be all secretive?"

"No, not really. I couldn't care less," Legault said bluntly. He rounded a corner, picking up his speed a little bit. He wouldn't really have minded it as much if he weren't in the middle of a training session. "Sure. You can say we're assassins, if that'll get you to stop asking."

"It won't," Cain said stubbornly, rounding the corner as Legault did and keeping up with the increase in speed. "You're gonna turn someone down without even looking at them? Don't you wanna have someone to challenge your _ top student _ ?

"No. One student is enough for me. I'm not looking for a talented kid. Trust me, if I took in every kid that ran a little fast in class, I'd have a class bigger than Oswin's." Legault kept his eyes ahead as he walked. He was patient. Of course he had worked with stubborn people in his life.   
Leila, however, wasn't as patient, and seemed a bit frustrated some kid was ruining her training time. "Look," she said, being the one to turn away. "Can't you just go away? I don't interrupt your training to ask endless questions, so there's no reason you should with mine."

Cain huffed, irritated that he wasn't getting anywhere with Legault. When Leila turned around, however, he thought this might be his chance. "Yeah? I'll bet he could kick your butt halfway across the courtyard," Cain challenged Leila, narrowing his red eyes. "Unless you're too scared to find out."

This seemed to frustrate Leila a bit more. "Yeah? I'm sure I can take on you or any other of your knight buddies," she replied back, obviously ready for a fight.   
"Alright, that's enough." Legault said with a sigh, turning to look back at the two. "You're not fighting anyone until I say so. And you," he narrowed his eyes at Cain "are to leave us immediately." It was no longer a question, it was an order.

This seemed to frustrate Leila a bit more. "Yeah? I'm sure I can take on you or any other of your knight buddies," she replied back, obviously ready for a fight.   
"Alright, that's enough." Legault said with a sigh, turning to look back at the two. "You're not fighting anyone until I say so. And you," he narrowed his eyes at Cain "are to leave us immediately." It was no longer a question, it was an order.   
"Ha! I could beat you with one hand behind my--" Cain was cut off by Legault's interference, and it was a good thing; it looked like the two were about to get into an actual scuffle. He lifted his chin to look up at Legault defiantly. "Hey, I'm just trying to help! You won't even give him a shot!?"

"No," Legault replied back again. "Your help isn't needed here." He had had enough of this. He looked at Leila and met her eyes, before he nodded his head. In the blink of an eye, they were both gone. Their speed overwhelming, and they took off in different directions. Because of how sudden it was, and their speed in the twisting and turning hallways, they both got away and were nowhere to be found.

"Hey, get back here--!" Cain reached out towards Leila, but she was gone before he could grab her. He turned in frustration towards Legault, but he was gone, too; Cain was alone in the hallway. He whirled around, trying to find where they'd gone, but neither were within his sight, and he had no clue which way they'd gone. "This isn't over!" He called to the empty hallway.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Gods, was this kid annoying. Somehow Cain had managed to find them twice, and kept pestering them on and on... Finally, one day- the day before Matthew was supposed to leave- Legault had all but given up. But this time, both he and Leila were ready to kill him. Legault finally turned around. "You know what, kid? Fine. I'll give him a chance. It's better than having to run from you each and every day."

" _ And _ , I bet you'll find that--" Cain had been going on for a hot minute, and was ready to keep going on and on. He was getting more and more desperate the closer it got to the day Matthew was to leave; he had less than 24 hours left to convince Legault to give him a chance. In fact, it almost actually surprised him when Legault whirled around and finally agreed. "Oh, really? Awesome!" Cain grinned. "Okay, uh, you just wait right here. No! I'll send him to meet you in the courtyard. Just-- just hang on." He was already backing away as he spoke, gesturing vaguely with his hands. It was hard enough to find Legault and Leila the first time, but twice in a matter of hours? Now that was just about impossible.

Legault snickered, and Leila groaned. What a waste of time. "I'll give you five minutes to be at the courtyard, and that's it," he said to Cain as the other turned to leave.

"He'll be there in two minutes flat," Cain insisted, and then whirled around. It wasn't Matthew they'd be waiting on... truthfully, he wasn't sure he could even make it to Matthew's room in two minutes. He tried anyway.   
...   
"Matthew!" Cain practically kicked the door down as he burst in the room, breathing heavily. "You-- training-- courtyard-- now!" He gasped, out of breath from sprinting all the way there. The excitement in his eyes showed it wasn't an emergency, but rather an opportunity, and he practically dragged Matthew towards the door.

"Wh-Whoa!" Matthew exclaimed as Cain suddenly started dragging him out of the room. "Training? What?" Who would want to train him? Didn't every instructor say no? Whatever the reason, Cain seemed like he was in a hurry...   
...   
Well, he wasn't sure what he was really expecting, but this wasn't it. Next thing Matthew knew, some man was inspecting him out in the middle of the courtyard as Cain and a girl stood off to the side. Matthew could do nothing but stand there uneasily.   
Legault clicked his tongue as he examined Matthew physically; outwardly, he didn't look like much at all. A little scrawny, kinda small... The way Cain talked about him, he had been expecting... more. Still, Legault knew better than to judge by appearances. Eventually he stepped away from Matthew and put a hand on his chin. "Hm..." He mused aloud. "I'll tell you what. If you can beat my top student in a fight, then I'll take you in."   
The challenge caught Matthew off guard. Fight someone who was more trained than him.. and win? Before he could open up his mouth to protest, Legault smiled. "If I recall correctly, your friend here claimed you could kick her butt halfway across the courtyard." Matthew sent a glare in Cain's direction.

Cain stood off to the side, staring at Matthew proudly with his arms crossed over his chest. As Legault brought up what he'd said, his proud expression changed to one of sheepishness, and he waved guiltily as Matthew glared at him. Well, he  _ had  _ said that... "Heh... Do your best, snowbunny!" Oops. Probably shouldn't have said that embarrassing nickname right in front of Matthew's soon-to-be new instructor. "I mean... Kick some ass!" There. That sounded tougher.

Matthew suppressed a sigh as Cain called out his loving nickname. Great. Now he was about to get his ass kicked by someone he didn't even know, but they both now knew his nickname. What a last day in Ostia...   
Leila smirked where she stood, next to Cain. It was obvious Matthew was both nervous and undertrained. He didn't stand a chance. At least now she could get rid of her frustration by three days being pestered for this. She moved over in front of Matthew, taking a few practice daggers from Legault.   
Matthew took some as well. Throwing knives? He had never used these! What had Cain gotten him into? They moved out on the field, both Legault and Cain giving the two room.   
As soon as the battle started, Leila kept her body low to the ground, legs moving fast as she charged at her opponent. Matthew, a bit overwhelmed by her speed, held up one knife in a defensive position as he was taught in knight training. This worked, but only for a second; the knives clashed before Leila dashed to the right, and, before  Matthew could even react, kicked out and swept the teen's legs out from under him, and he fell. It was over hardly in thirty seconds.

Cain watched in excitement, but his grin soon faded as he saw Matthew getting his ass kicked. The moves that they'd learned in knight training wouldn't be of much use against someone like Leila... "C'mon, Matthew! Adapt!" He cheered from the sidelines, though it was too late really for the teen to do anything; Cain flinched as Matthew crashed to the ground. "Go again!" He insisted, refusing to let Legault stop them there.

"Oof..." Matthew grunted out as he hit the ground; he was getting real tired of getting knocked to the ground by everyone he fought against. As he got to his feet, Legault spoke up. "It's obvious you can't even use the skills a knight can, so why bother using them in this?" It was a bit hurtful, but helpful advice. Well, if he didn't use what he learned in knight training, then what? He felt a little bit at a loss as he stood up once more, and he two positioned for a second round. When Leila charged at him again, he used his knife to block her once more; the same trick wouldn't work on him twice. She was well trained, but not perfect, and she faltered for a second enough to let Matthew get a strike in. It didn't knock her down, and a quick retaliation got Matthew down once more. "Dammit," the teen grunted.   
...   
It went on like this for a little while. They went a few more rounds, and each one, though they got progressively a bit longer, Matthew was still the one who ended up in the snow. After about the fourth round which Matthew had almost won, Legault spoke up. "Alright. I've seen all I want."    
Matthew got up from the snow once more, panting lightly. He hadn't been able to keep Legault's deal; he didn't win.

Cain was cheering on from the sidelines; truth be told, he was impressed by both of them, and his eyes seemed to shine as he watched Matthew adapt and fight in this different style. Yes... this was definitely the training they'd been looking for! He yelled for another round, seeing how close Matthew had gotten, but Legault stopped them before another match could take place. "W-wait a minute! Let them go again!" The deal was that Matthew would have to beat Leila, and he hadn't quite done that yet.

"I've seen all I want to," Legault simply replied back before he motioned Leila to come over towards him. When Matthew returned the practice  knives, Legault turned to look at him. "You're pretty quick on your feet, kid." It wasn't a lie; he was surprised to see someone keep up with Leila. He'd think about it. The man slowly turned to leave without giving a definitive answer.

Cain frowned as Legault refused another round, but he bounced on his feet eagerly when the instructor approached Matthew... and said only a few words. What was his decision!? "Wait, where are you going?" Cain cast a desperate glance towards Matthew, then chased after Legault. "If you don't say something to Oswin soon, Matthew will be gone by morning."

"Oswin's already made his decision, there's nothing I can say to him to change his mind. I gave you my time as we promised, now I expect you to keep your end and quit nagging us everyday," Legault sent a strong glare towards Cain, before he continued walking off. There was something about him now that said he definitely did not want to be bothered...   
"But--" Cain started to protest again, but the glare made him go silent. If Matthew left, there wouldn't be a need to go nagging every day... It looked like he'd lost his bet.   



	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Matthew sighed as he sat on the edge of his bed. It was later in the evening, and he had basically given up on finding anything that would let him stay. Cain had joined him, and he flashed a tired grin at the redhead. From running around out in the courtyard, to packing... He was a bit exhausted. "Sorry I ruined the chance you worked so hard to get me."  
Cain groaned as he laid down on Matthew's bed with his arms behind his head. He lifted his chin to look at Matthew, who was sitting on the edge. "I still can't believe that jerk. Did he even see you out there? That was amazing!" Of course, Cain had a bit of a bias, but he genuinely meant the words.

Matthew let out a chuckle as he leaned back on the bed, looking at his lover. "Well, you kept making me seem like I was so fast and cunning, and all that happened was me getting thrown in the snow like I was nothing." He moved up on the bed, so he could easily lean down and give the redhead a quick kiss. "But... thanks for helping. It means a lot."

"You were," Cain insisted. He may be Oswin's top student, but just as Matthew wasn't capable of his abilities, Cain couldn't do half of what Matthew displayed in the courtyard. He sighed, and lifted his chin to return the small kiss. "I hope that asshole realizes it before it's too late. If not..." Cain frowned. "Just... don't forget to write me every now and then, alright?"

Matthew offered another soft smile as he sat close to Cain. "I won't." A silence fell over them. The kind of saddened silence that couldn't be helped by words; anything they said was weighed over by the fact this could be their last night spent together- the last night they would see each other for what could be a very long time.  
Their moment was interrupted by a quick knock on the door, and Matthew glanced over to it. Who was it? Someone, coming to tell him goodbye? He doubted it. Getting off of the bed, he opened the door... only to see nobody there. Confused, he looked back and forth down the hallway; it was empty, like nobody had passed by. On the ground, however, was a piece of paper. Bending down, he picked it up. There were only four words on it.

' _Training starts at dawn_.'

Cain was silent for awhile; words seemed hollow. If this was the last he'd see of Matthew for some time, he didn't want to taint their closeness with-- knock knock . Noises like that. He sat up on the bed, but only watched as Matthew went to answer the door. "Who's there?" He asked curiously. It was fairly late; too late for any polite visitor to come knocking. "Huh? What's that?" He saw Matthew holding something.

"It's... a note," he replied back as he closed the door behind him. For a second he looked a bit confused as he read it aloud. "Training starts at dawn..." What training? His eyes widened as he realized; the soundless footsteps and mysterious note... "Its from that man. Cain, he wants me to train with him."

"Hm?" Cain got off the bed and stood so he could see the note as well. Unsigned, and delivered in secret from someone who wasn't heard... It had to have been from that spy! His eyes widened as he realized what this meant, and a wide smile appeared on his face. "Hell yes!" Without warning, he grabbed Matthew and spun the other around in a circle; it was a good thing the room was mostly clear, or something probably would have been broken.

"Whoa!" Matthew laughed out as he was suddenly spun around. He wrapped his arms around the other in a tight embrace as he was spun; eventually, when Cain stopped, Matthew kept his tight hold on Cain, burying his face in the redhead's shoulder. It looked like Matthew wasn't going home after all.

Cain couldn't stop a hearty laugh-- not that he wanted to in the first place. He hugged Matthew close to him, a silly grin on his face. He lifted his hand to run it through Matthew's tawny hair, ruffling it and messing it up. "Welcome back, snowbunny."

Matthew kept a large smile on his face as well, a soft hum coming from his throat as he stayed in Cain's grasp. He never wanted to let go. He gave Cain a kiss on the cheek. "It's good to be back," he whispered out softly, and when the redhead looked towards him, he planted his lips on the other's. Parting away, he chuckled. "Well, that was a lot of time wasted packing."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**(CW: This chapter contains nsfw content.)**

"Hya!" Same weight room, same punching bag, different strategy. Cain's exercises weren't out of frustration or brute strength; there was skill behind his unparalleled force, as he'd spent the last four years honing his gifts. Not a single day did he neglect his training, and his hard work was paying off-- he remained Oswin's top student, but soon he wouldn't be... because he wouldn't be a student at all. He'd earned his place; the ceremony was all pleasantries. Even so... it would be a lie to say he wasn't looking forward to it. He wiped the sweat from his brow and took a breath. He'd grown taller and more shapely, his rounded face morphing into a sharp jawline and his muscles more sturdy. It wasn't long that he went without a girl-- and even sometimes a boy-- asking him for attention. He always politely refused... his heart had been swept up in the path of another for years now. "You know..." he called out to the empty air, even though he was seemingly alone. "I don't mind an audience, but don't you have your own training?" He grinned; his words were light and teasing.

A light chuckle came from somewhere in the room, before a figure appeared from out of his hiding spot, behind one of the other pieces of equipment in his room. "Who's to say this isn't part of my training?" He teased back. Cain wasn't the only one who had changed through the years; since starting spy training, Matthew had gotten a burst of confidence in finally having something he was good at. The once quiet, slightly timid boy had an air of trickery in his eyes, which were always alert of his surroundings. He was still a little shorter than Cain, that wouldn't ever change. But he was no longer helpless in battle; in fact, both he and Leila were always competing for the title of top student... but only Cain knew that. Matthew may have bent the rules a little bit and told the redhead about his training, about how he had gone from the lowest to one of the best. Unlike Cain, his ceremony wouldn't be public; nobody would come and see him receive a medal or anything of the sort. In fact, he had disappeared for everyone years ago, and he'd be surprised if his old classmates remembered him. Well, all except one.    
Matthew moved to sit down on a nearby chair, crossing one leg over the other. "Maybe my latest mission is not getting spotted by you."

"Looks like you've failed that one, snowbunny," Cain teased as he bent to give Matthew a kiss on the forehead. "I'd track you to the ends of the earth." He'd been there with Matthew throughout the entire journey, from lowest of the low at knight training, to a top performer as a spy. He was the only one who could find Matthew at a moment's notice, though sometimes Leila still played tricks and snuck up on him. Cain never spoke a word of the secretive spy training; he'd sworn not to, and he never broke a promise.

Matthew smiled softly at the redhead. Though he had changed much over the years, one thing still remained the same; he still loved Cain deeply. He leaned up to return the kiss. "Well, I'll get there eventually." No matter how good he was, he still had started spy training a little later than Leila had, so she'd always have that over him. "So... You're still demolishing these poor bags, Mr. Knight?" Of course Matthew knew about the ceremony coming up; how could he not?

"Of course," Cain chirped with a grin. "This one's brand new. It had to be replaced after I tore a hole in the last one... again." The smile turned sheepish; he never held back during his training, and some of the equipment had paid the price. "Though... it's no fun fighting something that can't hit back." As if to prove his point, he bopped the bag gently, and it swung around. "You wanna go a couple rounds, snowbunny? Step into the ring with the Bull?" He smirked; his acquired nickname fit him well.

Matthew chuckled lightly as the bag swung around. "Is everyone else too scared of you to help you train?" He teased as he stood up from where he sat. Around his neck was a cloak similar to Legault's, though it looked a little less well-made. He was still an apprentice, after all. "Careful you don't tear a hole in me."

"Heh... They wouldn't say it to my face or I'd scold them for their cowardice. Everyone is just already done for the day... Everyone except you and me, that is." Cain grinned as Matthew stood up, taking that as an acceptance to his challenge. "Let's take this outside then. And don't worry, snowbunny," he added with a wink after Matthew spoke. "That part comes afterwards..."

Matthew let out a snort at Cain's remark. "Yeah? I can hardly wait," he replied back with a smirk. It was a beautiful day outside, though the sun was starting to set and a darkness was creeping through the sky, yet the air still remained a warm temperature. Perfect for sparring. Drawing a wooden blade, Matthew breathed out in the fresh evening air; it reminded him of when he and Cain would practice into the sunset to get Matthew caught up.. he faced Cain, holding up his sword. "Come at me, Bull."

Cain returned the smirk as he followed Matthew outside. With a deep breath, he took in the fresh air and closed his eyes, enjoying the atmosphere for a moment before finding his own practice blade. "Ha," he scoffed, twirling the blade expertly in his hands. "Come running straight for you? That tactic hasn't worked since day one of your real training." He grinned and made a gesture for Matthew to come at him instead.

Granted, ever since he had started training as a spy, he hadn't kept up with his swordwork. His training to use throwing knives has taken up all his time; besides, it wasn't like he needed to use swords anymore anyway. His sparring with Cain was more fun for him than actual training. "Heh... whatever you say," he replied back, taking a similar stance as he did back when he was in knight training. As he had been trained to do, he fought using his speed rather than strength, so when Cain taunted him into charging, well... he didn't have a problem with it.    
...   
Their sparring round lasted for a little bit, both of them panting from the quick attacks. They had sparred so much over the years, they had easily adapted to each other's fighting style. Matthew gave a smile to the redhead, breathing out. "How about we call this one a draw?" He said, offering a hand.

Cain had assumed from the beginning that there wouldn't be a winner; there hadn't for years as their streak of ending the fights in a draw continued. That didn't stop him from giving it his all, and by the time Matthew waved the first white flag, he was panting heavily. He straightened up from his stance and dropped his sword on the ground, a symbol of his agreement to the truce. However, as he went to take Matthew's hand... he grabbed it in a firm grip and yanked his partner close to him, then settled his hands on Matthew's waist. "Another draw? How boring." His voice was light and teasing as he twirled around a piece of Matthew's tawny hair with his finger.

A larger smile settled on Matthew's face as he was pulled closer to his lover. "Well," he murmured out. "It doesn't have to be like that." Cain may have dropped his sword- but Matthew didn't. He pulled away enough to where he could raise the wooden sword in his hand, poking it up against Cain's chest. He snickered. "I win."

"Do you?" Cain smirked as he pressed the smaller wooden blade he held against Matthew's back. He'd dropped his sword, yes, but before the fight had begun he'd snuck one of the smaller weapons onto his belt. "Looks like a stalemate once again, snowbunny."

Matthew only pouted once more; Cain had learned way too much from their sparring sessions these few years. "You're so cruel; you haven't let me win a single match." He complained lightheartedly, before dropping his weapon as well.

Cain chuckled, letting his spare weapon drop to the ground with a clutter as Matthew's did. "To be fair, you haven't let me win one either... but you usually let me take my prize anyway." With a chuckle, he raised Matthew's chin with his hand and then leaned down to connect their lips.

"Yeah? You always won the ones when we were teenagers," he pointed out with a soft huff, though it was ruined when their lips connected together. Once they parted, he let out a breath. "But... I guess I can forgive you." He put a hand on Cain's cheek. "Just this once."

"That's true," Cain agreed with a laugh. "It seems so long ago... but look at us now." He smiled as he leaned down again for another kiss. His hands that were on Matthew's waist moved a bit lower, and he winked as he gave his partner's rear a teasing squeeze. "After tomorrow, I can truly call myself your knight in shining armor."

"Ooh, how romantic," Matthew laughed out, even when Cain's hands squeezed him. "Will you ride on your gallant white steed and whisk me off into the sunset? Or should I settle for something a little... less magical?"

"I'll let you ride on something alright," Cain teased with another wink as he pulled Matthew's body closer to him. He stepped forward, forcing the other to take a step back, but the distance-- or lack thereof-- between them didn't change. "Come on... Where's that cute blushing face of yours?" Matthew had gotten less shy and bashful over the years, but Cain still liked to make the spy's cheeks go pink.

Matthew chuckled as he was forced to take a step back. "I've put up with all your flirting over the years. You'll have a try a little harder than that to get me to blush." The spy challenged, leaning up to give Cain a kiss.

"Yeah?" Cain challenged back, taking yet another step forward after the kiss. "You should know me by now... I'll always do what it takes to get what I want." With a smirk, he kissed the tip of Matthew's nose innocently... and then started to not-so-innocently rub up against his partner's groin with his hand.

Matthew chuckled lightly at the kiss on the tip of his nose... before lightly gasping out at the sudden feeling of a hand against his groin. They had gotten like this before, though not all the way.. Even so, Matthew didn't stop it. "Excited already?" He purred out softly. "It isn't even the day of the ceremony yet..."

"It's not," Cain agreed with a sly grin. "Don't you want a little warm up before the real thing?" He took more steps backwards, urging Matthew back towards the wall and out of the middle of the courtyard. It wasn't exactly the ideal place for intimacy... not when others could walk by at any moment.

"Real thing?" Matthew echoed as he gazed up at Cain with a loving look. "Are you expecting some type of reward for getting through the ceremony?" He asked as his back hit the wall. His hand trailed onto Cain's cheek once more, before gently running through his red hair. "What I really want is to know why your choice of locations for private time is... questionable."

"Haven't I earned it?" Cain pretended to pout, but his smile easily broke through. He laughed at Matthew's question of his location choice... though he didn't want to waste time going all the way back to one of their rooms. "We can still have some privacy. Follow me." He didn't give Matthew much of a choice; he led the tawny-haired man towards a door that led into the dim room where they kept spare practice swords.

"Ah... so this is your room of romance?" Matthew mused aloud as he looked around the storage room. He knew Cain's attempts to flirt were... cheesy, but this was on a whole new level. "Or... is this another surprise attack for our sparring?"

They weren't inside the storage room for ten seconds before Cain was all over Matthew, barely remembering to lock the door behind him. The two seconds it took to fumble for the lock were two seconds he wasn't touching Matthew, but he definitely made up for it once he could. He pressed his partner back against the wall, shoving what he needed to out of his way. His lips barely left Matthew's skin, but he finally pulled away and let out a warm breath that felt cool against the spy's damp neck. He kissed on Matthew's neck and jaw, and nibbled on the lobe of his partner's ear. "Come on..." He whispered. "I want to see you on your knees."

Matthew let out a soft gasp as he was backed into the wall once more;  _ now  _ a light pink color had settled on his cheeks. His hands were on Cain's torso, fingers trailing along the other's clothed chest. He manages a smile at Cain's comment. "I bet you would like that, wouldn't you..." he whispered back, his lips close to the redhead's neck as Cain nibbled Matthew's ear. "But I was always told only to listen to my teacher..."

Although he couldn't see it, Cain could tell that a light fluster had settled on Matthew's cheeks; he could feel the warmth. "Your teacher isn't here," Cain said wryly as his hand stroked along his partner's inner thigh teasingly. "This is all you, snowbunny. I wouldn't have it any other way." Unless maybe there were two Matthew's... Well, that was something else entirely.

"Mm... you have a point there," he said, his breath shaky as he spoke. A smirk pricked the corners of his lips. "Alright then. Whatever you say, Bull..."  Matthew whispered out as he slowly moved down onto his knees in the dark. Reaching forward, he slowly moved to massage his hand against the redhead's groin.

"That's more like it..." Cain smirked back at his partner. Before Matthew got all the way down, Cain switched spots with him so that he could lean back against the wall. He slowly moved his hips in time with Matthew's rubbing; it was clear he was already getting excited.

Matthew chuckled lightly as Cain started moving his hips. "Already restless?" Matthew mused aloud as he continued his rubbing. Soon enough, he slowly unbuttoned Cain's lower clothing, letting them drop to the floor as he stood there in his undergarments. Gently rubbing the growing bulge in front of him, he leaned forward to give the other's groin a teasing kiss through the clothing.

Cain couldn't help but chuckle as Matthew teased him; his own cheeks were growing warm with a fluster as well. The rubbing was enough to spur his length to its full size, and it stretched against his undergarments. Cain took matters into his own hands and tugged them down until they joined his pants on the floor. "Waiting for an invitation...?" He said breathlessly, trying to hide the fact that he was so eager.

Matthew blinked as Cain suddenly slid down his own undergarments, and he was face-to-face with the other's hard-on. Cheeks clustering a little more, he glanced up to Cain. "You ever hear of a buildup?" He teased lightly before taking the other's bare length into his hand. Stroking it a few times, he finally leaned in closer to run his tongue over the erection's head.

"Well, you know me..." Cain spoke breathlessly as Matthew started to rub along his length, now touching it directly. "Hah... I like to jump right into the action." With one hand against the wall, he reached down with his other to run it through Matthew's tawny hair.

Matthew only flashed Cain one last smile before focusing back on his length. He ran his tongue over it a few more times, before he took the tip into his mouth. His free hand trailed down to his own groin, fingers massaging it gently. He breathed out hotly on Cain's length.

Cain inhaled sharply as he felt Matthew's damp mouth enclosing his length, and then he let out a long breath. He ran his fingers through his partner's tawny hair again, but this time he took some in a gentle grip and slowly urged him forwards to go further down.

Matthew glanced up as Cain urged him forward, laughing inwardly. He slowly slid down Cain's length, taking more of the warm erection into his mouth. Closing his eyes, he ran his tongue around the length as he gently sucked, giving his lover all the pleasure he could. Meanwhile, his hand had slipped under his own lower clothing, his hand slowly moving on his own length.

Cain closed his eyes as he leaned back against the wall, gently guiding Matthew's head back and forth along his length. "Hah... ahh..." He breathed out loudly, then lifted a hand to his mouth to cover it; he'd forgotten they weren't somewhere completely private, and the last thing they needed was someone nosy to come poking their head in. Lowering his volume, he gripped a bit tighter onto Matthew's tawny hair.

Matthew glanced up at Cain, flashing him a warning glance. They had to be quiet or else someone would notice them being a little... naughty in the storage room. He continued moving up and down Cain's length, coating the warm erection in his saliva. Down below, he had become hard as well, and he pushed his clothing down enough to where his own length popped out, and he was able to stroke it easily.

Cain looked down and met with Matthew's eyes for a moment; he saw the warning in them, but also the lust. This made him smirk, and when he shifted his gaze, he could see his partner's erection getting attention as well. "Hah... Having a cock in your mouth gets you off, doesn't it?" He teased cruelly as he pushed Matthew's head further down.

"Mph..." Matthew let out a soft grunt as he was pushed down further on Cain's length; he came back off with a soft gasp. A trail of saliva connected his tongue to the tip of the other's length. Panting for a moment, he gazed up at the other with a red, lustful place before smiling. "Mmh... only when it's yours," he replied back as he took Cain's length in his hand once more, pressing his lips against it in a kiss.

Cain muffled another moan with his hand; when he looked down, the sight of Matthew's reddened face with a trail of saliva connecting to his length seemed to turn him on even more. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he mused with a smile. He ran his hand through Matthew's hair again to readjust his grip on it, being careful not to pull too hard as he urged his partner on.

Matthew could feel Cain urging him on once more, and he let out a soft chuckle. "You're so impatient..." he murmured out, his breath hot against Cain's length before he slowly took it into his mouth once more. Rubbing himself a bit more aggressively, his own moan was muffled by the meat in his mouth.

Cain's only response was a needy groan as he guided Matthew along his length faster. From the way it twitched in his partner's mouth, it was clear that the right spots were being touched. "Nn... Come on," he gasped as he started to move his hips slightly, bringing them forward when Matthew went down. He knew he wouldn't last much longer, but it felt too good to hold back.

"Mm..." As Cain guided himself deeper into Matthew's mouth, this time the spy didn't pull back. He closed his eyes once more, focusing on both the warm, twitching erection in his mouth and his own length in his hand. He hit his orgasm first, hips bucking forward as his white semen squirted onto his hand. In his mouth, he felt the first taste of Cain's climax in his mouth, and knew the other had hit it as well. He allowed the other to release in his mouth, tasting every bit of its saltiness. He swallowed and pulled off of Cain, panting lightly as both his hand and chin were stained with white release.

"Aah..." Cain let out a breathy moan as he felt the release of pressure in his groin, and he ejaculated into Matthew's mouth. He let go of the spy's head so Matthew could pull back, and when Cain looked down, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of his partner. "Heh... You're so cute with cum all over you." He reached down to flick a bit of it off of Matthew's cheek.

Matthew laughed as well as he slowly rose to his feet after fixing his pants. "You know... that's not a compliment I'd ever think I'd get," he replied back, leaning in to give Cain a soft kiss. "Come on. You wanna help me wash this off before someone sees me like this?"

"First time for everything, huh?" Cain teased back as he accepted the kiss and then returned it with one of his own. "It's wasn't the whole truth, though. You're cute all the time, snowbunny." With a light chuckle, he adjusted his pants and belt to get them back in place. "I'm sure there's a towel around here somewhere..."

"If not, then you're going to be the one to clean me up. I think I've had enough in my mouth for one evening..."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**   
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Matthew questioned as he looked the beast over. He wasn't afraid of horses, per say, he had just never ridden one. Being a spy in training, he'd probably learn to ride one sooner or later. He smiled at the large creature. "Hey there, girl," he cooked softly, slowly reaching his hand out to pet Cain's horse, and when she snorted, he pulled his hand away.

"Aw, she won't bite," Cain said lovingly. Unlike Matthew, when Cain reached out, the horse nuzzled her snout into the redhead's hand. Cain then rubbed along her neck to comfort her. "She loves going for rides. Don't you, Shallot?" He spoke almost in a baby-like voice as he spoiled the horse.

"Hm... I have a feeling she won't like going for a ride with me on her." Matthew knew Cain was a horse person; over the years, he had ridden with Cain on the back of the beautiful mare a few times over the years... but this was the first time the redhead suggested Matthew going at it alone.

"Sure she will," Cain encouraged. Shallot seemed to give him a look , and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh, don't look at me like that. It'll be fun." With another quick rub on her neck, he got her saddled up and ready. Shallot was a rather large horse; it was hard to mount her without a stool, but she'd learned to bend down for a rider. Now, however, she didn't, and she stamped her hooves impatiently. "Come on," Cain urged, scratching her behind the ears. "I've got a carrot with your name on it if you do this for me." Shallot snorted... and then started to bend to be within reach for easy mounting.

Matthew could only sigh as he watched Cain struggle to calm Shallot down. If Cain was having this much trouble, what would it be like for him? He wasn't too optimistic. "I'm telling you this is a bad idea," he murmured out as he moved closer to the mare. Taking one last deep breath, Matthew moved to lift himself onto the horse. Wobbling a bit in the saddle, he attempted to steady himself. "Whoa, there..."

"It'll be fine ," Cain insisted as he helped Matthew up onto the horse. "Alright, Shallot... Play nice with Matthew. Let's take it nice and slow." Even though Matthew held the reins, Cain had the lead, and so he could direct the horse as well. He started to walk forward, and his horse followed. She was energetic, like her owner, and wasn't happy to go at such a slow pace, but she only snorted in annoyance as she stepped slowly.

"Whatever you say," Matthew said with another nervous laugh as he adjusted himself in the saddle. Did Cain have to have the largest horse in all of Ostia? He held onto the reins firmly as Cain led both him and the horse. He only wobbled slightly in the saddle.

"How's it going up there?" Cain looked over his shoulder and grinned at Matthew. "Don't fall off, now. Just get adjusted to how she feels under you when she walks." Cain wasn't leading them anywhere in particular; they had a nice large field to walk around in, and he wandered through it for a little while to let Matthew get used to the feeling of being on a horse.

Matthew offered a grin back to his lover. "Its going as well as it could be, I suppose," he replied back. To be honest, he was surprised he hadn't been flung off. "So, Cain... Do you think I have the makings of a cavalier?" He asked in a light tone.

"Well... You tell me," Cain teased as he let go the lead and allowed Matthew full control. He stepped to the side as Shallot kept walking; she picked up the pace a little as she basically had free reign, with a rider who didn't know how to control her. She wasn't stupid... she wanted that carrot. Instead of galloping, she trotted, but didn't buck or throw Matthew off.

"Whoa," Matthew gasped out as the pace was increased a little and Cain let go. He kept a tight grip on the reins as he let the horse lead the way essentially. He glanced back at Cain. "Hm... you know, I think I'll pass up on that cavalier thing."

"Ha!" Cain couldn't help but laugh as Matthew changed his mind, and he jogged to catch up to where Shallot had led Matthew. "Well, I have to say I'm impressed," he mused with a grin as he walked along beside them. "Truthfully, I was prepared to have to catch you when she bucked you off. I guess she wants that carrot more than I thought. Don't you, girl?" He rubbed her neck, and she nickered at him. She wouldn't forget about her promised treat.

Matthew chuckled. "It makes me so happy to know that if you hadn't offered her a carrot she'd kick me off without hesitation," he grumbled sarcastically. He leaned forward a bit to give Shallot a light pat on her neck. "Well, I suppose in the end I'm glad I'm not getting stomped on."

"Hey, whatever works, right?" Cain shrugged sheepishly as he grinned up at Matthew. He laughed as he walked along beside them. As Matthew patted her neck, Shallot nickered, but she didn't stop walking. "Aw, I think she likes you. Want to pick up the pace a bit?"

"Really? It still feels like she's just tolerating me. But, I suppose you know her better than I do," he said as he looked down at her. Matthew glanced at Cain when he mentioned picking up the pace. He didn’t much want to go faster, but shrugged. "Sure, let's go for it."

"Heh... Hold on tight!" Cain grinned, and he winked at Shallot who whinnied happily. After the redhead patted her flank, she took off running, galloping with incredible speed through the field while her inexperienced rider struggled to stay in the saddle. Cain laughed as he ran after them, but he couldn't keep up with Shallot's speed, especially not when he was laughing so hard at the sight of Matthew bouncing around on the horse.

"Whoa!" Matthew cried out as he clung to the reins, trying his best to keep atop the horse. It was especially difficult with his low experience, and the fact he wasn't expecting on going that fast. As the horse galloped, Matthew could feel himself slipping off the saddle, and with a cry, he fell off Shallot, tumbling to the dirt and grass below. "Oof..." He groaned, pushing himself off the ground.

Cain ran after Shallot, but he could see when Matthew started to slip from the saddle. Looks like it would happen after all... Gods, but that look on Matthew's face! He was still laughing even when he caught up to where Matthew was, and he bent over, gasping for breath. "Are-- are you--" he wheezed, nearly in tears from laughter. "Are you okay?"   
Shallot, after having freed herself from the rider, trotted around smugly and whinnied. Eventually she slowed and began to graze, swishing her tail as she chomped on the fresh green grass.

As Matthew rose to his feet, he attempted to brush the grass and dirt off of him. Well... that was a bit embarrassing. He only pouted in response to Cain's laughter, giving the redhead a light punch on the shoulder. "I'll probably have some bruises, but otherwise I'm fine. My feelings are a bit hurt though," he said as he folded his arms in an over-dramatic fashion.

Cain paused for a moment to make sure Matthew really was okay, but when he saw the spy get up with the worst wound being his pride, the laughter started up again. He doubled over, clutching his stomach, then reached up and grabbed onto Matthew as he started to fall, dragging them both to the ground. He was nearly in tears, and he rolled over onto his back in the soft grass. "You-- you went flying! Just sailed right off!"

Though he tried to keep an upset pout on his face, Matthew couldn't help but start to laugh along with his lover. He even allowed himself to be pulled back down on the ground. He gave Cain a light jab in the side. "You're a big jerk," Matthew said lightly with a smile.

Cain's laughter was finally starting to fade away, though a bit still bubbled over every now and then when he thought about the shocked look on Matthew's face. "Maybe," he agreed with a grin as he rolled over on his side to look at Matthew. "But at least I'm  _ your  _ big jerk." He gave his lover a quick kiss on the nose.

"Yeah, you're lucky I love you," Matthew replied back as he returned a kiss to the redhead. He moved a bit closer to the other on the ground, softly chuckling as he rested his head on Cain's chest. "Maybe I should try with a horse less biased on its handler."

"I am lucky, aren't I?" Cain mused with a smirk as he pulled Matthew closer to him. The soft grass was comfortable, and the light spring breeze made the temperature just right. With a content sigh, he started to twirl his finger around in Matthew's tawny hair, absentmindedly playing with it. At his lover's words, he chuckled, and leaned his head so he could see where Shallot was; she was still happily grazing. "There's not a man in this world worthy of riding her," Cain said affectionately. "I'm lucky she chooses to put up with me."

"Is that your way of cheering me up?" Matthew asked with a snicker, though he couldn't be mad at the other. He happily allowed Cain to slowly play with his hair, watching the clouds go by.   



	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**(CW: This chapter contains nsfw content.)**

  
The ceremony was amazing. Matthew stood in the back, out of the crowd, but where he could see Cain's proud face as he stood there, ready to be knighted by Marquess Uther himself. He couldn't help but feel proud and happiness, seeing Cain up there, all his hard work about to be recognized... but it was bittersweet. There was a point in his life where Matthew dreamed of being up there with all of his old classmates, proud at what he'd accomplished and about to be knighted... and here he was now, standing off to the sidelines, watching what once was a dream unfold without him, right in front of him. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel at least a little twinge of envy for those up there, but he pushed those feelings down. Soon, he'd be a fully trained spy, and he'd be as proud as Cain was now...   
After the ceremony, Matthew searched the crowd before be found his lover. Coming up behind him, he jumped onto the other's back, wrapping his arms around Cain lovingly. "Hey, here's my new knight!" He said with a laugh. "I'm proud of you."

From the moment he woke up that morning, the smile never left Cain's face. Today was the day he'd worked so hard to reach; the day he'd receive recognition for his dedication, and be a fully fledged knight. The ceremony passed in a blur, and before he knew it, he'd been granted his title by the Marquess himself. He felt as though his chest would burst with pride, and though he couldn't see Matthew in the crowd, he knew his lover was watching. Afterwards, he worked his way through a mob of congratulations, trying to find Matthew; the spy found him first, and he laughed as he felt the arms wrap around him from behind. He turned and enveloped Matthew in a hug; had it not been for the crowd, he likely would have picked him up and swirled him around. "I almost can't believe it!" He burst out in excitement.

Matthew laughed, a wide grin on his face returning the tight hug to his lover. He leaned in to give Cain a kiss, though they were both smiling too much to really keep it going. "Hey, you've worked hard for this. You deserve it," he said, gazing at Cain with a happy expression. "You're gonna be a great paladin."

Cain tried to return the kiss, but in the rushed motion their noses bumped and the laughter made it hard to stay connected. "It's been a lot of work with very little play," he agreed; not a single day went by that he neglected his training. Now, however, he could see the fruits of his efforts, and he deserved a day to have fun. "Let's celebrate!" He suggested, still holding Matthew in an embrace. "C'mon, drinks on me."

Though he wasn't a big drinker, Matthew couldn't turn down an evening of celebration. "Like I could ever say no to a night with you," he said in a light tone. He pulled away from the hug, but still kept his fingers intertwined with Cain's.

...   
Cain didn't want to spend his night of celebration by getting totally wasted. He could do that on any night of the week. Today... today was special. He'd had just enough to get loosened up and relaxed, and he raised his half-full glass to clink it against Matthew's; the liquid sloshed a bit out of the cup onto the floor. After chugging the rest of it, he left his seat at the bar and led Matthew out to the floor so they could dance among the crowd of others who were all celebrating their own events. Cain laughed as he was forced to be pushed in closer towards Matthew; he was all too happy to grab hold of his partner by the waist as they moved. He leaned in, but instead of going for a kiss, he whispered words into Matthew's ear. "You're coming home with me tonight," he said lowly, the faint scent of alcohol on his breath.

Matthew was glad for the night of fun and relaxation; even though Cain didn't need lessons anymore, he still did. Life simply wasn't fair. There was a grin on his face as he moved with his lover on the dancefloor, pushed closer to the redhead. He blinked as Cain leaned in not for a kiss, but to speak to him, and he smirked. "I'm surprised you're still able to walk and take me home with you," he replied back lowly with a smug chuckle, leaning in to give a kiss even when Cain didn't.

"Heh..." Cain chuckled and returned the quick kiss. Even though there was a bit more room to move now, he didn't back off, and still pressed his body up against Matthew's. He kissed along his partner's jaw and moved so he could keep whispering. "I could carry you... Or would you rather ride me?" The teasing was accompanied by a kiss on Matthew's neck that soon turned into a gentle nibble.

Matthew kept the smile on his face, even with all of Cain's teasing. He wrapped his arms around Cain's neck, glancing down at his lover with a twinge of lust in his eyes. "Hm... I'm not so sure," he mused aloud softly. "Would you say I'm... a good fit for a rough bull ride?" He whispered back to his lover.

Had they not been in public, Cain probably would have taken Matthew right then and there after seeing the twinkle of lust in his eyes. "No one else even comes close." He grinned, lifting up Matthew's chin with his hand. "Come on..." His voice was a whisper again, his words a bit breathier. "Let's get out of here."

Matthew leaned in to kiss his lover once more, smirking into it. "If you say so, it must be true," he replied back softly as he pulled back enough for Cain to move. "Lead the way, brave knight."   
...   
The first night in Cain's new room. It wasn't luxury, of course, but it was nicer than having a roommate. Not that Matthew had one, anyway. Still, he had other things to worry about other than the quality of the redhead's new room. Almost as soon as they walked through the door was Cain on him, and Matthew was returning each hungry kiss and lustful gaze. "You've been looking forward to this, haven't you?" He whispered out.

"Is it that obvious?" Cain grinned as he advanced on Matthew, touching him all over. He stepped forward to force his partner to step back until they were at the edge of the bed, and Cain pushed gently on Matthew's shoulders to lean him back against it. He covered Matthew in hungry kisses, and his wandering hands slipped under the spy's clothing to touch his warm skin.

"I don't know, you tell me," Matthew replied back as he was leaned back on the bed. He had one hand in Cain's hair, gently running through it as every inch of his body was touched by Cain's lips. His skin tingled where Cain touched. "Did that ceremony get you a little too excited, or is it the alcohol? Maybe both?" He purred out as his hand trailed down to pull on the hem of Cain's shirt.

"A bit of both," Cain admitted, taking his lips off of Matthew just long enough to speak. "Though... the real reason is laying underneath me." His sly smile was accompanied by a wink, and when Matthew tugged at his shirt, he was more than happy to assist in its removal. His pale skin was complemented by his defined muscles-- the result of years of hard dedication to his training.

"I'm flattered," Matthew replied back with a grin. "I can't say you don't get me a little excited either." He returned the wink. Matthew didn't have large muscles like his lover did, but he was fit in his own way. He was lean, his arms strong in their own way that they were able to lift his own weight but not be able to thrust a sword through strong armor. His legs were built for speed, not for strength. He removed his own shirt for viewing pleasure.

Cain helped Matthew to lift off his shirt; once it was off, he bent down and pressed his lips to the spy's chest. He kissed along the toned skin while his hands were just feeling up Matthew's waist and abdomen. It seemed as though he couldn't get enough; he moved upwards from his partner's chest towards his neck where gently nibbled on Matthew's collarbone.

Matthew chuckled lightly as Cain's lips pressed along his body, using his own arms to gently wrap around his lover. Fingers gently pressing along the redhead's back in a soothing motion, he kept Cain close. When his lover was up to his neck, he tilted his head down to press his lips against the top of the other's head.

Cain chuckled as Matthew kissed his head, and he lifted his head. While he looked up at his partner, his hand wandered downwards to massage against Matthew's groin. "Say... It's about time I return the favor, isn't it?" With a sly smile, he moved downwards again, kissing along Matthew's torso again. He paused at his partner's nipple and gave it a couple teasing licks before getting lower. He kissed on Matthew's abdomen as he kept rubbing along the growing bulge.

"Hm... I had started to worried you had forgotten," Matthew replied back with a grin as he felt Cain's hand massaging between his legs. He shifted his legs a bit, spreading them open for his lover to get a better grasp. A light fluster had settled on his cheeks as he was touched, letting out a few small pleasured breaths.

"No way," Cain teased, pressing his lips against the fabric of Matthew's pants. "After all... I have to get you nice and ready." With that, he tugged down on Matthew's lower clothing, tossing it carelessly aside. He stroked along the half-hard length, but while he was getting Matthew off, he wasn't without his own pleasure; he was quite enjoying the view.

Matthew chuckled lowly as he gazed down at his lover getting closer to his growing bulge. The sight alone seemed to excite him, and he looked on eagerly. His hand moved to gently run through Cain's hair. "Well... then why don't you ready me?" It was obvious he was a bit impatient, especially with his lover hovering right in front of his hard length.

Cain couldn't help but grin, and he laughed as Matthew shifted beneath him. "I thought I was supposed to be the impatient one!" He winked up at his lover, but then finally obliged, and gave Matthew what he wanted. He began with a slow, wet lick along the underside of Matthew's length; when he reached the top, he opened his mouth wider and took the tip of it into his mouth.

Matthew shuddered with a content look on his face as his length was finally met with Cain's warm mouth, and a grin snuck back onto his face. "That's more like it," he cooed out as his hand ran through Cain's hair once more. He let out a soft moan, and after a moment, he gently pressed his lover's head lower, trying to get more of his erection in.

Cain was about to take his mouth off of Matthew's length to make a snarky remark, but when he felt the hand gently pushing on his head, he changed his mind. He sucked on the skin of the tip for a moment longer before moving further down the length; his hand massaged near its base. Truthfully, he was enjoying this almost as much as Matthew was; the sound of his lover's moans was enough to make him feel a familiar tightening in his pants.

As his length went deeper into his lover's mouth, he let out another soft moan, closing his eyes to fully enjoy the sensation. Matthew softly called Cain's name as he was sucked off, thoroughly enjoying the pleasure. He hardly noticed than Cain was getting hard as well, but then again, at this point, he had simply assumed it.

It was clear that the corners of Cain's mouth were upturned, even though he had a cock halfway down his throat. The hand that had been massaging Matthew's length now moved lower, and his finger teased the area around his lover's entrance. After another few moments, he pushed the digit inside and then slowly retracted it; when he pushed in again, he'd added another finger.

Matthew hadn't been paying attention enough to realize what the other was doing, until suddenly feeling a finger sliding into his entrance. His eyes opened, and he looked a bit confused about the feeling of one of Cain's digits in him, and he let out a soft noise as a second one was added. "You don't wait around do you?" He let out a breathy laugh.

Cain pulled off of Matthew's length to catch his breath, and he smiled up at his lover. "I can take it slow if you want... real slow." He licked the tip of Matthew's length, then just barely took the head back into his mouth. He ran his tongue along its sensitive slit, but the movements were agonizingly slow. His two fingers kept moving in and out of Matthew, but they too, moved at a snail's pace; just enough to tease Matthew.

Matthew pouted at the other as he started to move so, very, slowly. He shifted a bit underneath Cain. "You're a big jerk..." he complained out as the pleasure was coming too slowly for him to fully enjoy. After a moment and Cain didn't speed up, Matthew impatiently moved his hips, pressing himself farther in the redhead's mouth on his own.

Cain lifted his head and started to laugh, but it was cut short by the sudden intrusion in his mouth when Matthew bucked his hips upwards. Still smiling, he started to move faster to give Matthew what he wanted, and it wasn't long before he added a third finger into his lover's tight entrance. He scissored with his fingers to prepare his partner while his free hand rubbed along Matthew's inner thigh.

Matthew's grin came back once he was getting the pleasure he wanted. By now he had gotten used to the feeling of fingers in his entrance, and the third finger added didn't bother him much. He continued to run his fingers through Cain's hair, gently tugging on it occasionally.

Cain let out muffled grunts and moans as he slid up and down along Matthew's length, coating it with his saliva. He didn't stop until his own length throbbed for attention, and even then he continued to pleasure Matthew for a few more moments. Finally, he pulled off with an audible pop, and inhaled sharply. He pulled down his own lower clothing to reveal his half-hard length; he was almost there, but he'd need a bit more attention... With a lustful smile, he got to his knees and sat up, straddling Matthew. Since the other was leaning back against the bed, Cain's length was at just the right height, and he aimed it towards Matthew's mouth. "Come on..." he whispered, his face flushed red. "Your turn."

Matthew glanced up to see Cain getting up to straddle him, and suddenly he had a half-hard length right in his face. He managed a smile. "It's only fair," he replied back as he moved his head forward, running his tongue over the tip before taking it into his own mouth, returning the favor to his lover.

Cain let out a relieved breath as his own length received long-awaited attention. He moved his hips slowly to meet Matthew's lips; it wouldn't take much to get him ready, but he still wanted to enjoy it. He pushed in a bit deeper past Matthew's lips and ran his hand through his lovers tawny hair.

Matthew opened his mouth a bit wider as Cain pressed further in. He had his hands on both of Cain's legs to keep him in place, breathing out through his nose as he gazed up at Cain, still working on the length. He ran his tongue all along it, coating it in as much saliva as he could.

Cain had his eyes closed and let out breathy sighs of pleasure at the familiar feeling of wetness around his length. He didn't want this to go on for too long... Matthew would make him finish before they even got to the main event. Reluctantly, he pulled away out of Matthew's mouth and backed up a bit. He leaned down and connected his lips to his partner's in a heated kiss, gently biting down on Matthew's lower lip for a moment. "Turn around..." He whispered lustfully.

Matthew panted softly when Cain pulled out, returning the soft kiss to his lover. When Cain pulled away enough to let him move, he moved to turn around like he was told to do, and his backside was to his lover. There was a twinge of both excitement and a small bit of nervousness as he glanced over his shoulder at his lover behind him.

Cain let out a warm breath and pressed up against Matthew. He rubbed his slick length against his lover's entrance teasingly, but didn't push inside just yet. His lips were busy against the side of Matthew's neck, and when he got close enough to the spy's ear, he nibbled on the lobe before he whispered into it. "Tell me that you want me..." He could feel Matthew's nervousness, and it would be a lie to say that his heart wasn't pounding as well.

Matthew could feel Cain's length pressing up against his entrance, and he shifted only slightly underneath the other. The flush on his face deepened at his lover's words, and he managed a smile. He pressed the front half of his body into the bed and pushed his rear end out. "I'm ready for you," he cooed out softly. "I want you..."

With consent given, Cain gave into his lustful urges, and he started to push his length inside of Matthew. "Ngh.." The tightness surprised him, but he kept going. Slowly, he moved back and forth, trying to get used to the feeling for both his and his lover's sake. "How does it feel...?" He managed to ask breathlessly.

Matthew tensed up a bit once he felt the large length pushing into him; he let out a gasp as he felt his tight insides being stretched out. It was an odd, and a slightly painful feeling, and he gripped onto the sheets under him, eyes closed as he tried to get used to the feeling. "Nothing I can't take..." he murmured out softly, burying his face into the blankets under him.

"Yeah?" Cain challenged, managing a smirk. "What about this...?" He bent and pushed further in; he slid back out, then came back with a bit more force. He had both of his hands on Matthew's waist to hold his lover steady, and he brought it towards him every time he pushed forward. Steadily, his movements began to get faster as they adjusted to the strange feelings. "You feel so good," he gasped, reaching one hand underneath Matthew to give his partner's length some attention.

Matthew had only just started to get used to the feeling of his lover inside of him before Cain moved deeper, and he let out another gasp, clutching at the sheets once more when the other thrusted deeper inside of him. It hurt a little bit, but there was a lot of pleasure mixed in with it that he hardly noticed it. "Feels good..." He groaned out softly.

Cain managed to chuckle, though most of his breathing was in short gasps of air. It was cruel to go faster so soon; he resisted his own urges and kept his pace steady to allow Matthew more time to adjust to his size. The warm tightness around his length felt amazing, and he closed his eyes, absorbed in the feeling while he moved.

Matthew was thankful Cain didn't start ramming into him right away, starting to fully enjoy the feeling of his lover inside of him for the first time. "Mmh..." He groaned out softly into the sheets under him. He had even started to move his own hips in time with the redhead, moving back when Cain went forward to help the other reach deeper.

Cain bent further, and he pressed his chest into Matthew's back. He let out a breathy moan which was soon muffled as he bit down on the side of Matthew's neck. When his partner started to move back to meet him, Cain took it as a cue to pick up his pace; he was more than happy to oblige. Muffled grunts and groans came from him, and he stroked along Matthew's length to give him pleasure from both sides.

As Cain worked behind him, Matthew was making his own plethora of pleasured noises, muffled by the fact half his face was buried into the blanket underneath him. His eyes were half-lidded on his red face; he couldn't tell, but he was probably drooling on the blanket as well. Anyone who walked by the room would probably hear them, but at the moment, the only thing he could focus on was his lover's movements.  "Ah... Cain..." He moaned out his partner's name lustfully.

The redness on Cain's face seemed to increase as he heard Matthew moaning out his name; the pleasured sounds were like music to his ears. He didn't want to be too rough during their first time together, but his body was aching for more intense pleasure; eventually he gave in to the urges and began to move faster, hugging Matthew's body close to his as he pumped in and out of his lover. "Ah... hah..." For just a split second, he wondered if he'd locked the door... then that fleeting thought was gone as quick as it came, lost among the feelings of pleasure.

Matthew had no problem with Cain going faster. Instead, he only made another noise in contentment, now fully closing his eyes as he felt his warm body up against Cain's. After a little bit, he could feel pressure building in his lower abdomen, and the pleasure started to come in larger waves. "Cain..." He gasped out. "I'm gonna cum..."

Cain was glad when he felt Matthew's length starting to twitch in his hand; he couldn't out much longer, either. With grunts and moans that came out right next to Matthew's ear, he started to thrust a bit harder. "Matthew..." he gasped, feeling the pleasure swelling in his thighs and groin. "Can I... cum inside you?" His breathless question would need a quick answer.

Matthew didn't have enough breath to really respond, so he only nodded his head. Soon enough, he felt himself fully hit his climax, moaning out lewdly as he came hard over Cain's hand and the blankets underneath him. His legs wobbled a bit at the sensation, and he sank deeper into the bed underneath him. Panting heavily, he waited for the feeling of his lover to fill him up with his own semen.

It was only moments after the stickiness covered his hand that Cain hit his own climax, and he buried his face into Matthew's neck as he moaned loudly; the burst of pleasure made his mind go blank. Somehow, he managed to keep enough strength to hold Matthew up as well as himself so they wouldn't collapse on the bed. He panted, breathless from the rush of the orgasm.

Matthew laid there under Cain for a moment or two, trying to catch his breath from the rough love making they had just had; soon enough he glanced over his shoulder at the redhead to give him a tired smile. "You... ass," he breathed out. "I have training tomorrow." Though, from the look on his face, he didn't seem too upset about it.

While Matthew caught his breath, Cain slowly pulled out of the spy's entrance; a bit of his essence dripped out, joining the mess on the sheets that his partner had made. Instead of a bite, he gently kissed on the side of Matthew's neck. He couldn't help but laugh when his lover called him a name, and responded by planting another big kiss on Matthew's cheek. "What will you do if they ask why you're so sore?" He teased lightly.

Matthew slowly turned over onto his back to face his lover, meeting Cain's red face with his own. "I can't lie to people better than I am," he said with a soft laugh. "I'll just have to hope they assume I trained too hard today." He used his arms to bring Cain down towards him, connecting their lips in a loving kiss.

Cain attempted to wipe away the mess; he was too tired to have to remake the entire bed. He chuckled as Matthew turned to face him with cheeks as red as he imagined his own, and he leaned to kiss the tip of his lover's nose. When Matthew pulled him in closer, he went willingly, more than happy to have some gentle love.

  
  


**END**

 

**Thank you for reading!**


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